Electrochromic mirror reflective element for vehicular rearview mirror assembly

ABSTRACT

An electrochromic mirror reflective element for a vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes front and rear glass substrates with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween and with a fourth surface reflector coated at the fourth surface of the rear substrate. Light incident at the first surface of the front substrate passes (i) through the front substrate, (ii) through a transparent electrically conductive coating at the second surface of the front substrate and (iii) through the electrochromic medium, whereby light passing through the electrochromic medium is partially reflected at a third surface reflector and is partially transmitted through the third surface reflector, and wherein light passing through the electrochromic medium that is partially transmitted through the third surface reflector passes through the rear substrate and is at least partially reflected off the fourth surface reflector at the fourth surface of the rear substrate to provide enhanced reflectivity of said electrochromic mirror reflective element.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/262,481, filed Sep. 12, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,179,555,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/791,948,filed Jul. 6, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,440,589, which is a continuationof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/195,139, filed Mar. 3, 2014, nowU.S. Pat. No. 9,073,490, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/959,036, filed Aug. 5, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No.8,665,510, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/262,091, filed Sep. 29, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,503,061, which is a371 U.S. national phase filing of PCT Application No. PCT/US2010/029173,filed Mar. 30, 2010, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisionalapplications, Ser. No. 61/288,923, filed Dec. 22, 2009; Ser. No.61/232,246, filed Aug. 7, 2009; Ser. No. 61/186,204, filed Jun. 11,2009; and Ser. No. 61/164,593, filed Mar. 30, 2009, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to interior rearview mirror assembliesand, more particularly, to electro-optic or electrochromic reflectiveelement assemblies and a method for manufacturing electro-optic orelectrochromic reflective element assemblies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automotive electrochromic mirror reflective element cell assemblies areknown and typically include a front substrate and a rear substrate andan electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween and contained within aninterpane cavity. The front substrate typically includes a transparentconductive coating established at its rearward surface (the surfacefacing the rear substrate and the electrochromic medium) and the rearsubstrate typically includes a conductive coating (such as a metallicreflector coating or coatings and/or a transparent conductive coating orcoatings) established at its front surface (the surface facing the frontsubstrate and the electrochromic medium). Electrical connectors areprovided, typically as metallic busbar clips that extend substantiallyalong respective edges of the substrates, to provide electrical currentto the conductive coatings to control the dimming or darkening of theelectrochromic medium.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an electro-optic mirror reflectiveelement assembly, such as an electrochromic mirror reflective elementassembly that has electrical connectors for powering the cell orreflective element assembly that provide enhanced electrical connectionand enhanced manufacturing processes, while reducing the costsassociated with the assembly and construction of the mirror reflectiveelement assembly. Optionally, the mirror reflective element assembly maycomprise a third surface metallic reflector and may include atransmission-reducing thin film coating (such as a chrome/chromiumcoating and/or other suitable metallic coating or layer or the like) atthe rear or fourth surface of the reflective element assembly.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an interior rearview mirror assemblyincorporating a reflective element assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a reflective element assembly of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation and partial sectional view of the reflectiveelement assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the reflective element assembly of FIG.2, shown with a printed circuit board connected to the connectors;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation and partial sectional view of the reflectiveelement assembly of FIG. 4, showing the connection process of connectingthe circuit board to the connectors;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the reflective element assembly of FIG.2, showing portions of the rear surface that may be masked prior tocoating the rear surface of the reflective element assembly with acoating;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another reflective element assembly ofthe present invention;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation and partial sectional view of the reflectiveelement assembly of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another reflective element assembly ofthe present invention;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation and partial sectional view of the reflectiveelement assembly of FIG. 9;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are perspective views of an electrode clip forelectrically connecting to an edge of a substrate of the reflectiveelement assembly and to a circuit element or board of the reflectiveelement assembly;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an electrical connector forelectrically connecting to another edge of a substrate of the reflectiveelement assembly and to the circuit element or board of the reflectiveelement assembly;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another reflective element assembly ofthe present invention;

FIG. 14 is a side elevation and partial sectional view of the reflectiveelement assembly of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an electrical connector forelectrically connecting to a conductive coating of the reflectiveelement assembly of FIGS. 13 and 14;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the electrical connector of FIG. 15, shownwith a conductive element or wire connected thereto;

FIGS. 17-20 are views of a masking element that is disposed at a surfaceof a mirror substrate during a coating process in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIGS. 21-24 are views of another masking element that is disposed at asurface of a mirror substrate during a coating process in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view of a reflective element assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 26 is an exploded perspective view of a rearview mirror reflectiveelement assembly with a heater pad and backplate in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the rearview mirror reflective elementassembly of FIG. 26;

FIG. 27A is an enlarged view of the area A of FIG. 27, showing anelectrical connector at the reflective element that electricallyconnects to electrical wiring of the heater pad in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 27B is an exploded schematic of the area B of FIG. 27, showing theelectrical connector at the backplate of the rearview mirror reflectiveelement assembly of FIG. 27;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of another electrical connector forelectrically connecting to a conductive coating of the reflectiveelement assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is an end elevation of the electrical connector of FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is a plan view of the electrical connector of FIGS. 28 and 29;

FIG. 31 is another plan view of the electrical connector of FIGS. 28-30;

FIG. 32 is another plan view of the electrical connector of FIGS. 28-31;

FIG. 33 is a perspective view of another electrical connector forelectrically connecting to a conductive coating of the reflectiveelement assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 34 is a plan view of the electrical connector of FIG. 33;

FIG. 35 is a perspective view of another electrical connector forelectrically connecting to a conductive coating of a reflective elementassembly in accordance with the present invention, such as via clippingto an edge region of a rear substrate of the reflective elementassembly;

FIG. 36 is an end elevation of the electrical connector of FIG. 35;

FIG. 37 is a top view of the electrical connector of FIG. 35;

FIG. 38 is a perspective view of another electrical connector forelectrically connecting to a conductive coating of a reflective elementassembly in accordance with the present invention, such as viaestablishing electrical conductive continuity to an electricallyconductive coating on a front substrate of the reflective elementassembly via a conductive epoxy or the like;

FIG. 39 is a sectional view of the wire connecting portions of theelectrical connectors of FIGS. 35 and 38;

FIG. 40 is a perspective view of another electrical connector forelectrically connecting to a conductive coating of a reflective elementassembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 40A is a sectional view of the wire connecting portion of theelectrical connector, taken along the line A-A in FIG. 40;

FIG. 41 is an end view of the electrical connector of FIG. 40, shownattached to a reflective element and in electrical conductive continuitywith an electrically conductive coating at a rear surface of the frontsubstrate of the reflective element; and

FIG. 42 is an end view of the electrical connector of FIG. 40, shownattached to a perimeter edge region of the rear substrate of thereflective element and in electrical conductive continuity with anelectrically conductive coating at the rear substrate of the reflectiveelement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, an interior rearview mirror assembly 10 is pivotally oradjustably mounted to an interior portion of a vehicle via an adjustablemounting assembly 12, such as via a double ball mounting or bracketassembly (FIG. 1). Mirror assembly 10 includes an electro-opticreflective element 14 (such as an electrochromic reflective elementassembly), a bezel portion 16 and a housing or casing 18. The reflectiveelement assembly 14 is electrically connected to a circuit element orcircuitry (such as a printed circuit board or the like) that iselectrically powered to control the dimming or darkening of thereflective element assembly 14, as discussed below.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the reflective element 14 includes a frontsubstrate 20 and a rear substrate 22, with an electro-optic medium 24(such as an electrochromic medium) disposed therebetween (and sealed orcontained within the interpane cavity between the glass substrates 20,22 via a perimeter seal 25). The front substrate 20 has a front or firstsurface 20 a (that faces generally towards a driver of a vehicle whenthe mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle) and a rear orsecond surface 20 b, with a transparent conductive coating 26 (such asan indium tin oxide (ITO) coating or the like) established on secondsurface 20 b, while the rear substrate 22 has a front or third surface22 a (facing the electro-optic medium disposed between the front andrear substrates) and a rear or fourth surface 22 b, with a metallicreflector coating 28 (such as a transflective display-on-demandreflector coating that is partially transmissive of light therethroughand partially reflective of light incident thereon) established on thirdsurface 22 a. An electrical connector 30 is conductively connected tothe transparent conductive coating 26 at second surface 20 b of frontsubstrate 20, and another electrical connector 32 is conductivelyconnected to the metallic reflector coating 28 at third surface 22 a ofrear substrate 22, whereby electrical power is supplied to the coatings26, 28 via connectors 30, 32 to vary the degree of dimming or darkeningof the electro-optic medium 24.

Electrical connector 30 comprises a metallic element, such as a stampedmetallic element or the like, having an elongated tab portion 30 aextending from an attachment portion 30 b and at least partially acrossthe fourth surface 22 b of rear substrate 22, and a connecting portion30 c extending from attachment portion and at least partially across anedge or edge dimension 22 c of rear substrate 22. As can be seen inFIGS. 2 and 3, attachment portion 30 b is attached to the fourth surface22 b of rear substrate 22, such as via an adhesive 33. Optionally,attachment portion 30 b may include one or more apertures 30 d toenhance the adhesion of the attachment portion 30 b to the fourthsurface 22 b of rear substrate 22. Connecting portion 30 c of electricalconnector 30 is bent, such as about 90 degrees or thereabouts, relativeto attachment portion 30 b so as to extend at least partially across theedge dimension 22 c of rear substrate 22.

As shown in FIG. 3, a conductive material 34 (such as a conductive epoxyor conductive paste or conductive potting material or the like) may bedisposed at edge dimension 22 c and at a corresponding overhang regionof front substrate 20 so as to electrically conductively connectconnecting portion 30 c to the transparent conductive coating 26 at rearor second surface 20 b of front substrate 20. The perimeter seal 25 mayelectrically isolate the conductive material 34 from the third surfacereflector coating 28. For example, the third surface reflector coating28 may be established at third surface 22 a of rear substrate 22 and maynot extend to the edge dimension 22 c at least in the region ofconnecting portion 20 c so as to electrically isolate reflector coating28 from electrical connector 30. The conductive connection between thesecond surface transparent conductive coating 26 and the electricalconnector 30 may utilize aspects of the reflective element assembliesdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190 and/or 7,255,451, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005, andpublished Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US 2006/0061008; and/orSer. No. 11/912,576, filed Oct. 25, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,626,749,and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/301,417, filed Feb. 4,2010, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

In the illustrated embodiment, and as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, tabportion 30 a of electrical connector 30 extends substantially across therear surface 22 b of rear substrate 22. Tab portion 30 a may comprise aflexible or bendable tab that may flex at bend regions 30 e to allow forbending of tab portion 30 a away from the rear surface 22 b of rearsubstrate 22 for connecting to a circuit element or printed circuitboard, as discussed below.

Electrical connector 32 electrically conductively connects to the thirdsurface conductive reflector coating 28. Electrical connector 32includes a tab portion 32 a and a connecting portion 32 b thatelectrically and conductively connects to third surface reflectorcoating 28 at third surface 22 a of rear substrate 22. In theillustrated embodiment, connecting portion 32 b comprises a metallicclip (such as a flexible clip that clamps around the edge of thesubstrate) that receives and clips onto an edge region of the rearsubstrate at an overhang region of the rear substrate so as to establishelectrical conductivity to the reflector coating 28. Optionally, anddesirably, the third surface 22 a may have a tab out conductive coatingestablished thereon and at the region where the connecting portion 32 battaches or clips, with the tab out coating establishing electricalconductivity between a perimeter region of the third surface 22 a andthe reflector coating 28 established at the principal reflecting regionof the reflective element inboard of the perimeter seal 25 (such as byutilizing aspects of the reflective element assemblies described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 7,184,190 and/or 7,255,451, and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005, and published Mar. 23, 2006 asU.S. Publication No. US 2006/0061008; and/or Ser. No. 11/912,576, filedOct. 25, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,626,749, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties). Optionally, theconnector 32 may be encapsulated to protect the mirror reflector coatingor tab out coating or layer.

Thus, when assembled, the reflective element includes electricalconnectors 30, 32, with the respective connector tabs 30 a, 32 aextending along the rear surface of the rear substrate 22. In theillustrated embodiment, the second surface electrical connector 30extends substantially across the rear substrate, while the third surfacereflector electrical connector 32 comprises a relatively shortconnector. However, the connectors may have different sizes and lengthswithout affecting the scope of the present invention.

The electrical connection to the second surface transparent conductivecoating 26 may be made via electrical connector 30 and the conductivematerial or epoxy 34. For example, the connecting portion 30 c may beinserted into uncured conductive epoxy established at the overhangregion, whereby when the conductive epoxy cures, the connecting portion30 c of electrical connector 30 is secured therein and is electricallyconductively connected to the second surface transparent conductivecoating 26 at the second surface 20 b of front substrate 20. At the timethat the connecting portion 30 c is inserted into the uncured conductiveepoxy, the attaching portion 30 b may be adhered to the fourth surface22 b of the reflective element assembly.

When assembled, the tab portions 30 a, 32 a of the electrical connectorsmay be bent or formed to extend generally across or partially across therear surface of the rear substrate. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tabportions 30 a, 32 a may be flexed or bent (such as at bend regions 30 e,32 c to align the clips with connectors or receptacles 36 a, 36 b at acircuit element 38, such as a printed circuit board or the like withcircuitry established on a substrate or chip. For example, and as shownin FIG. 5, tab portion 30 a may be bent or flexed outward away from therear surface 22 b of rear substrate 22, and may be inserted intoreceptacle 36 a at circuit element 38. When the tab portion 30 a isreceived in receptacle 36 a, the tab portion 32 a of electricalconnector 32 may be aligned with a second receptacle or connector 36 bat circuit element 38. Optionally, for example, tab receptacle 36 a mayallow the end of the tab portion 30 a to pass through to allow foradditional positional tolerance and adjustability so as to assist anoperator in aligning tab portion 32 a with receptacle 36 b. Optionally,the tab portion 30 a may have a bend pattern 30 f stamped or formedtherealong to provide enhanced flexibility to allow for side-to-sidepositional tolerance and adjustability so as to assist an operator inaligning tab portion 32 a with receptacle 36 b.

When the circuit element 38 is attached or connected to tab portion 30a, the receptacle or connector 36 b of circuit element 38 may begenerally aligned with tab portion 32 a of electrical connector 32. Ascan be seen in FIG. 6, tab portion 32 a may be bent or flexed so that itextends rearward and away from rear surface 22 b of rear substrate 22,whereby the tab portion 32 a may be received in and through receptacle36 b as the circuit element 38 (and tab portion 30 a) is moved towardthe rear surface of the reflective element. Thus, after the tab portion30 a is engaged with the receptacle 36 a at circuit element 38, circuitelement 38 can rotate towards the rear substrate 22 whereby the bent upor outwardly protruding tab portion 32 a may plug into the receptacle 36b at circuit element 38 to complete the electrical connection of thecircuit element to the electrical connectors 30, 32. Thus, theelectrical connection and cell construction of the present inventionprovides a reduced cost construction and enhanced manufacturing andassembly processing for an electro-optic mirror reflective elementassembly and its electrical connectors that connect to the conductivecoatings or layers established at the second and third surfaces of thereflective element assembly.

Although shown and described as having a clip portion that clips aroundthe perimeter edge of the rear substrate, it is envisioned that theelectrical connector that connects to the third surface conductivecoating or coatings may be attached to the rear or fourth surface of therear substrate and reflective element, such as via a suitable adhesiveor the like. For example, the tab out portion at the third surface maycomprise a wraparound portion that wraps around the perimeter edge ofthe rear substrate to provide electrical continuity between the fourthsurface and the third surface (such as by utilizing aspects of themirror assemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,400,435; 7,184,190and/or 7,255,451, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628,filed Sep. 14, 2005, and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US 2006/0061008; and/or Ser. No. 11/912,576, filed Oct. 25, 2007, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,626,749, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2007/082099,filed Oct. 22, 2007 and published May 2, 2008 as InternationalPublication No. WO 2008/051910, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties). The electrical connector may otherwisebe similarly constructed as described above, and may flex or bend toalign with a receptacle at the circuit element to electrically connectto the circuit element or board, such as in a similar manner asdescribed above.

Optionally, the reflective element assembly 14 may include an opaquereflecting coating or layer or transmission-reducing thin film coatingor layer 40, such as a chrome/chromium coating or layer or the like,established at the fourth or rear surface 22 b of the rear substrate 22.The fourth surface opaque reflecting or transmission-reducing thin filmcoating or layer (or other suitable any light transmission-reducing filmor layer or coating, such as a silicon layer or the like) may replacethe opaque or black light mask tape and application equipment that istypically used to cover the rear surface of the reflective element tolimit light passage from behind the reflective element and through therear substrate of the reflective element. The opaque reflecting ortransmission-reducing thin film coating or layer functions to limitlight transmission through the rear substrate and also provides enhancedreflectivity of the mirror reflective element by providing a reflectivecoating behind the third surface partially reflective partiallytransmissive reflector coating at the third surface of the rearsubstrate. Although discussed as comprising a chrome/chromium coating orlayer, the opaque or light transmission-reducing thin film or coating orlayer may comprise any suitable material, such as chrome/chromium orsilicon or chromium oxide or titanium or the like, and may or may not bereflective of light incident thereon, while remaining within the spiritand scope of the present invention.

The rear substrate may be masked during the opaque reflecting ortransmission-reducing layer coating process (typically avacuum-deposition process and preferably a vacuum-deposition sputteringprocess as is known in the thin film coating arts) so as to limit orsubstantially preclude depositing or establishing the opaque reflectingor transmission-reducing thin film layer in areas where it is notdesired. For example, in order to electrically isolate the electricalconnectors 30, 32, and as shown in FIG. 6, the rear substrate 22 may bemasked at the region 22 d where the electrical connector 32 connects orclips to the rear substrate so as to be devoid of the opaque reflectingor transmission-reducing thin film coating in that area to avoidshorting that may otherwise occur if electrical connector 32 andelectrical connector 30 were both in contact with the opaque reflectingor transmission-reducing thin film coating (such as chrome/chromium orthe like). Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 6, one or more other regionsor areas 22 e of the rear surface 22 b of the rear substrate 22 may bemasked, such as by using a fixed or movable mask in-chamber during avacuum-deposition sputtering process, such as for a rearward facingphotosensor location or the like (such as for a location at which aglare light sensor may be disposed to detect glare light rearward of thevehicle, such as for detecting headlamps of following vehicles, wherebythe dimming or darkening of the electro-optic reflective elementassembly may be responsive to such glare detection).

The masking of the substrate surface may be achieved via any suitablemeans, such as, for example, use of a clean removing tape, screenprinting that washes off during the washing of the substrate followingthe opaque reflecting or transmission-reducing or chrome/chromiumcoating process, use of a clear ink that resists the chrome/chromiumcoating (and the clear ink may then remain on the substrate after thewashing process), and/or the like. Although shown and described asmasked areas for the electrical connector and a glare photosensor,clearly other areas or regions may be masked during the fourth surfacechrome/chromium (or other metal) vacuum-deposition coating process, suchas for a display-on-demand display device (such as a video display orthe like) or for a rearward facing camera (such as for a cabinmonitoring system or the like) or for any other accessory that would besuitable for use at a partially transmissive reflective elementassembly.

The reflective element thus may a fourth surface thin film coating,preferably a sputtered metal thin film coating, such as achrome/chromium coating (or other suitable opacifying coating or layeror material), that has low light transmission (preferably less than 1percent visible light transmission, more preferably less than about 0.5percent visible light transmission) with one or more light transmittingwindows established through the fourth surface metal thin film coating.Thus, the transflective mirror reflector disposed on the third surfaceof the mirror reflective element provides a display on demand ortransflective mirror reflective element at the light transmittingwindows (with the reflective element at the window regions being atleast partially transmissive of light therethrough, while beingsubstantially limiting to transmission of light through the mirrorreflective element where the fourth surface opaque layer or coating isdisposed at the fourth surface). However, the outline of the sensor holeor aperture or window in the fourth surface metal thin film coating maybe visible or discernible when the mirror assembly is normally mountedin a vehicle equipped with the mirror assembly and the reflectiveelement assembly is normally viewed by the driver of the equippedvehicle. Such a discernibility of the window (and/or of the presence ofa sensor or display or the like disposed thereat and therebehind) may bedue to the visible contrast ratio (as visibly discernible in reflectionby a driver normally viewing the mirror as mounted in the equippedvehicle) between the metal thin film coated area and the taped or maskedportion or window area. For example, if the fourth surface metal thinfilm coating on the fourth surface of the reflective element has areflectance of about 40 percent of light incident thereon and the rearsurface of the glass substrate at its uncoated window area has areflectance of about the 4 percent of light incident thereon, then thevisibly discernible contrast ratio is about ten to one. Optionally, themasking and windows may be accomplished in a manner to reduce thecontrast ratio or otherwise reduce the discernibility of the windowestablished through the fourth surface metal thin film coating.

For example, the visibly discernible contrast (between the window areaof the substrate and the fourth surface metal thin film coated area ofthe substrate surrounding an adjacent window formed therethrough) maynot be as noticeable or discernible (when incorporated into an interiorrearview mirror assembly construction such as described above and whennormally viewed by a driver of an equipped vehicle) if the edges of themetal thin film coating surrounding/adjacent the window established inthe fourth surface metal thin film coating are rendered non-sharp (suchas by tapering the physical thickness of the metal thin film coating,with the tapering comprising, for example, a gradation or reduction inthickness from the physical thickness of the coating at the fourthsurface to about a zero thickness dimension at the window area, whichmay be devoid of the fourth surface metal thin film material or layer)rather than a steep or sudden change caused by the likes of use of asharply defined masking tape or mask edge to establish the window in thefourth surface metal thin film coating at the fourth surface during itsvacuum-deposition, typically during a vacuum-deposition sputter coatingprocess. Optionally, the reflectance of the fourth surface metal thinfilm surrounding and immediately adjacent the uncoated glass surfaceconstituting the window, as seen through the reflective element, can berendered non-uniform by using a raised mask (used duringvacuum-deposition of the fourth surface metal thin film at the fourth orrear surface of the rear substrate) that is raised above or spaced fromthe rear surface of the rear substrate, whereby a shadow generated bythe mask establishes a tapered coating thickness and varying ornon-uniform reflectance at the transition area between the outer edgesof the masked area or window area toward the center of the sensorwindow. Optionally, the reflectance can be rendered non-uniform by usingan index matching adhesive and a backing film (such as a metalized Mylarbacking film or the like) to reduce the contrast. The photosensor can beembedded in such a metalized film with an adhesive (such as a pressuresensitive adhesive or the like) that attaches to the substrate at thesensor window that is established through the metal thin film coating.Optionally, the fourth surface metal thin film coating, such as achrome/chromium coating, may have a reduced reflectance, such as byusing an oxidized chrome coating or chromium oxide coating or “blackchrome” coating or the like (such as by utilizing aspects of the mirrorassemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190 and/or 7,255,451, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties).Optionally, to taper the coating thickness at the transition region orto vary or render non-uniform the reflectance or contrast at thetransition region, some of the metal thin film coating may be removed atthe edges of the window to taper the coating thickness by removing moremetal thin film closer to the sensor window and less away from thesensor window. The sensor hole or aperture or window thus may be lessnoticeable or less visibly discernible to a driver of the equippedvehicle when normally viewing the reflective element as normally mountedin the equipped vehicle, because the percent transmissivity and percentreflectance of the metal thin film layer gradually changes at the edgeregions of the window so that there is not a sharp change in contrast atthe perimeter edges of the window. The aspects of the present invention,as exemplified above, where the likes of a photosensor is disposedbehind and at the subject hole or aperture of the coating of the rearsubstrate, may be further applicable to the likes of a third surfacecoating and/or disposition of the likes of a display or other element tothe rear of the fourth surface of the reflective element and at andviewing through or emitting light through such an aperture or hole orwindow established through the third surface coating and/or the fourthsurface coating.

For example, and with reference to FIG. 25, a reflective elementassembly 48 has a rear substrate 50 with an at least substantiallyopaque metal thin film 51 disposed at a rear surface 50 a of rearsubstrate 50. The fourth surface metal thin film or coating 51 has awindow or aperture established therethrough at a window region 50 b ofthe rear substrate 50, where the rear surface 50 a of rear substrate 50is substantially devoid of the metal thin film 51 at the window region50 b. A transition portion 51 a of the metal thin film 51 surrounds andis adjacent to the window region 50 b and provides a non-sharptransition between the substantially uncoated window region 50 b and afully coated/higher and uniformly reflective rear surface region 50 c,where the rear surface 50 a of rear substrate 50 is coated by agenerally uniform thickness mirror coating portion 51 b of metal thinfilm 51 (which may have a physical thickness over substantially theentire rear surface that is at least about 300 angstroms, and morepreferably at least about 500 angstroms and more preferably at leastabout 700 angstroms, except at and around the window area and transitionportion). In the illustrated embodiment, transition portion 51 a ofmetal thin film 51 has a varying or tapered thickness so as to provide anon-uniform reflectance at the transition portion or regioncircumscribing or surrounding the window region and a non-sharp changein reflectance between the light transmitting window region 50 b of therear substrate 50 and the highly reflecting coated region 50 c of therear substrate (the area at which the generally uniform thickness metalthin film coating portion 51 b is disposed). Optionally, although shownas having a tapered thickness of the metal thin film layer surroundingthe hole or window, it is envisioned that other means for rendering thereflectance at the transition region non-uniform may be implemented,such as, for example, a gradient or fuzzy or irregular or non-uniformmetal thin film deposition at the border area immediately adjacent andaround the hole or window, while remaining within the spirit and scopeof the present invention.

Thus, the present invention provides a vehicular reflective elementassembly that has a window established through a transmission-reducingthin film coating at the fourth or rearmost surface of the reflectiveelement, with the window region being substantially devoid of the thinfilm coating at a location where a sensor is disposed behind thereflective element and having a field of view through the reflectiveelement and through the window. A portion of the transmission-reducingthin film coating at and around and circumscribing the window locallyvaries in physical thickness, with a minimum physical thickness of thethin film coating being closest to the window and with the physicalthickness of the thin film coating generally increasing to a generallymaximum physical thickness of the thin film coating at a distance fromthe window (and with the generally maximum physical thickness of thethin film coating corresponding with the physical thickness of the thinfilm coating that is disposed at substantially the rest of the rearsurface remote from the window region). For example, the transitionportion or tapering portion of the thin film coating between the minimumphysical thickness portion and the generally maximum physical thicknessportion may extend a distance of between about 1 mm and 20 mm orthereabouts from the window, or between about 2 mm and 15 mm orthereabouts from the window, or between about 3 mm and 10 mm orthereabouts from the window, and thus providing a gradual change in thephysical thickness of the fourth surface thin film coating so that thewindow is not readily discernible by a person viewing the mirrorreflective element when the mirror assembly is normally mounted in avehicle. Although it is referenced above as having a generally uniformthickness, clearly the transmission-reducing thin film coating that isdisposed at the rear surface of the reflective element away from thetransition region and the window may have variations in its physicalthickness, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

By affirmatively rendering non-sharp the transition between the lowerreflectance in the window/non-coated area (typically around 4 percent orthereabouts) and the higher reflectance of the immediately adjacent andsurrounding area coated by the fourth surface metal thin film coating(typically having a reflectance of at least about 40 percent, often atleast about 50 percent), the discernibility of the window establishedthrough the fourth surface metal thin film to a driver viewing thecompleted mirror assembly (where the second or rear substrate forms anelement of the reflective element of the mirror assembly) is reduced. Ithas been found that this can be achieved by affirmatively renderingnon-sharp the transition region surrounding the window, and this may beachieved in a variety of transition coating or deposition means. Forexample, it has been found that if the region surrounding andimmediately adjacent to the window (typically the region within about 2mm of the window and up to about 5 mm or more from the window) isrendered non-uniform in reflectance compared to the rest of the fourthsurface reflective metal thin film coating, so that the transition fromthe highly reflecting fourth surface metal thin film coating to thelower reflecting (such as about 4 percent reflecting) bare glass at thewindow is non-uniformly reflecting and non-sharp, the discernibility ofthe window may be substantially reduced.

To achieve this, for example, the non-sharp, such as tapered, coatingthickness or varying or non-uniform reflectance of the fourth surfaceopaque coating may be established at the transition region by a maskingelement that is at least partially spaced from the window region toallow for partial coating of at least a perimeter region of the windowregion. For example, and with reference to FIGS. 17-20, a mirrorsubstrate 50 may be coated (on a surface of the substrate that will bethe fourth surface or rear surface of the reflective element assembly ormirror cell) with a substantially opaque coating or metal thin filmlayer, such as a chrome/chromium coating or layer (or other suitableopacifying layer or coating or material) and, during thevacuum-deposition coating of the metal thin film at the rear surface ofthe mirror substrate, a raised masking element 52 may be disposed at thesurface 50 a of the substrate 50 at the location of a window for asensor or the like. Raised masking element 52 includes a base portion orsmaller diameter or smaller profile contacting portion 52 a thatcontacts and masks a window portion or region or area of the substrateduring the coating process. Masking element 52 also includes a largerdiameter or larger profile portion 52 b at an opposite end of themasking element from the substrate. Thus, the masking element 52provides a “mushroom-shaped” or “umbrella-shaped” masking element thatcovers or encompasses a window portion or region and a transitionportion or region of the substrate during the coating process (such asduring the vacuum-deposition or sputter coating of the metal thin filmonto the rear substrate surface) and establishes a light transmittingwindow through the coating where the base or contacting portion 52 acontacts the substrate surface during the coating process. The wider orlarger portion 52 b of masking element 52 (that is spaced from thesubstrate surface) limits direct, non-scattered, line-of-sightdeposition of the coating material onto the substrate surface in thetransition region immediately surrounding the base portion of themasking element and beneath the larger diffusing portion, while allowingsome of the metal thin film material to be deposited in the transitionregion so as to establish a tapered material thickness of the depositedmetal thin film or opaque material around the window.

The masking element thus functions to establish a non-uniform ornon-sharp or gradient reflectance or coating or tapered coating aroundthe window, such that the window is not as readily distinguishable ordiscernible to a person viewing the reflective element. Thus, ratherthan a conventional masking element that establishes a sharp edge windowthrough the substrate coating, the present invention provides a coatingor reflectance gradient or non-uniform reflectance or shadowing or“fuzziness” around the perimeter of the light transmitting window. Themasking element may be retained in place at the substrate surface viaany suitable retention means, such as adhesive or bridge-type maskingelements or spring-loaded retaining mechanisms to urge the contactingportion of the masking element into engagement with the substratesurface or otherwise hold the masking element at or near the substratesurface, such as by utilizing aspects of the masking systems describedin U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451, which is hereby incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 21-24, a masking element 152extends from a bracket or support 154 of a substrate holding fixture 156that supports one or more mirror substrates 150 during the sputtercoating or vacuum-deposition process (such as during a one-sided ortwo-sided sputter-up or sputter-down vacuum-deposition process). Thus,the masking element 152 may be built into or incorporated into thesubstrate fixture, thereby enhancing the masking process. The holdingfixture 156 may receive one or more substrates in respective holding orreceiving portions of the fixture, and the bracket 154 may be placedover the fixture to retain the substrates in the fixture and to providethe masking element at or near the substrate surface. The fixture (withsubstrates and bracket) may then be placed in a vacuum-depositionchamber for coating one or both surfaces of the substrate.

As can be seen in FIGS. 21-24, when the mirror substrate 150 issupported by the substrate holding fixture 156 and the masking element152 extends over a surface 150 a of the respective substrate 150, themasking element is disposed over or spaced from the substrate surface sothat the masking element provides a gradient coating or taperedthickness coating around the perimeter of the window established throughthe coating or layer on the substrate surface and at the transitionregion between the light transmitting window and the higher reflectingarea at which the metal thin film coating is disposed. Optionally, thewindow region may have some amount of the coating material depositedover the entire window region, with a reduced amount at the centralregion of the window and a gradually thickening amount or tapered amountsurrounding the slight or partial or reduced coating at the centralregion (so as to provide non-uniform reflectance or a reflectancegradient entirely across or substantially entirely across the windowregion). Optionally, if it is desired to remove any coating materialthat may be deposited at the central region of the window, the coatingprocess may be followed by a laser ablation process or step of anetching process or step to locally remove the coating material from thecentral region of the window, while leaving the reflectance gradient ortapered coating at the transition area around the perimeter of theablated or etched window.

In the illustrated embodiment, masking element 152 includes a stalk orarm portion 152 a and a window establishing portion 152 b. The windowestablishing portion 152 b is sized to be large enough that, when spacedfrom the substrate surface a desired or appropriate or selected amount,the coating material may be partially disposed at the area of thesubstrate surface at which the window establishing portion 152 b islocated, but will be substantially not disposed or deposited at acentral region of the area at which the window establishing portion 152b is located, thereby providing a tapered coating or reflectancegradient or non-uniform reflectance at the transition area at leastpartially surrounding the light transmitting window. The width of thearm portion 152 a is preferably thin enough so that the coating isdeposited over the substrate surface substantially entirely beneath andalong the arm portion 152 a during the coating process. Thus, the coatedsubstrate has a window formed through the fourth surface metal thin filmcoating with a tapered thickness coating around the perimeter of thewindow, while the region of the substrate beneath the arm portion issubstantially uniformly coated or at least coated in a manner that anydifference in coating thickness or reflectance in that area is notreadily discernible by a person viewing the mirror reflective element.Optionally, the masking element and/or bracket and/or substrate supportfixture may utilize aspects of the masking systems described in U.S.Pat. No. 7,255,451, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

Thus, a glass mirror substrate (such as a rear substrate for anelectrochromic reflective element assembly) may be shape-cut and coatedvia a vacuum-deposition or sputter coating process (such as a top-downand/or bottom-up coating process that may coat one or both sides orsurfaces of the substrate). Optionally, an opacifying layer or coating(such as, for example, a metal thin film or a non-conductive coating,such as a silicon-based semiconductive coating or the like, such as asilicon-aluminum coating or the like) may be coated or applied on asubstrate. The substrate may be supported in a fixture and one or moremasking elements may be disposed thereat (such as via a spring-loadedmasking support or a stick-on pad or a magnetic masking element or thelike, and such as by utilizing aspects of the masking elements andsystems described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety), whereby the maskingelements may be removed after the coating process.

The front or third surface of the rear substrate may be coated with atransflective mirror reflector coating (such as a stack of multiplecoatings such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,274,501; 7,255,451 and/or7,184,190, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties), while the rear or fourth surface may be coated or at leastpartially covered with an opacifying layer or coating with a windowestablished at areas where a sensor or the like may be disposed behindthe reflective element. If the window is established with a sharp edge,the window edge may be discernible in high lighting conditions (and thecovertness of the window and thus of the sensor or the like disposedtherebehind may be compromised). Thus, the present invention provides agradient reflectance coating or tapered coating or a degree of shadowingaround the perimeter edge of the window. Optionally, the coatings may bedeposited on both substrate surfaces in a common vacuum-depositionprocess and/or in a common vacuum chamber. Optionally, an opacifyingtape need not be disposed at the rear surface, and a low cost tape orfilm (such as a scatterproofing/shatterproofing hot melt layer formedfrom R101, a styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) polymer sold by HelmitinGmbH of Pirmasens, Germany, and adhered to the rear surface to preventscattering of glass fragments and shards in the event of glass breakageduring an accident or the like, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.7,467,883 and/or 5,521,760, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties) may be used to limit or substantiallypreclude shattering of the substrate. Thus, the present inventionprovides a reduced cost substrate coating process that provides enhancedcovertness of a window at a rear surface for a sensor or the like toview through.

Optionally, such a fourth surface metal thin film coating (such as achrome/chromium coating or the like) may not be needed, such as for alow cost or base electro-optic mirror reflective element assembly. Forsuch a mirror reflective element assembly, there may not be a displaydevice or video display or compass display or the like, so there may notbe the same concerns with light generated by a display device being seenthrough the reflective element at locations remote from the displayarea. Thus, in such a base or non-mirror-display embodiment, the backlighting concerns may be limited to concerns with light (such as ambientlight) coming from or originating due to an opening in the back of themirror housing (such as an opening for a wire or a channel mount or thelike), which may be sealed to limit or substantially preclude lightentry into the mirror casing. Also, in such a lower cost baseembodiment, the third surface transflective reflector coating may bepartially transmissive, but may only need to be transmissive enough fora glare sensor (with its rearward field of view through the mirrorreflective element assembly and through the third surface transflectivereflector) to be functional, and may only need to be transmissive oflight therethrough that is in the wavelength region that the photosensorhas its peak sensitivity (typically a higher wavelength region, such asat an infrared or near-infrared range of the spectrum). Thus, a higherreflectivity, lower transmissivity third surface mirror reflector may beutilized on a base mirror reflective element assembly that does notinclude a display on demand type of display behind and viewable throughthe electro-optic or electrochromic mirror reflective element or mirrorcell.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, a mirror reflectiveelement assembly 114 includes a front substrate 120 and a rear substrate122, with an electro-optic medium 124 (such as an electrochromic medium)disposed therebetween (and sealed or contained within the interpanecavity between the substrates 120, 122 via a perimeter seal 125). Thefront substrate 120 has a front or first surface 120 a and a rear orsecond surface 120 b, with a transparent conductive coating 126established on second surface 120 b, while the rear substrate 122 has afront or third surface 122 a and a rear or fourth surface 122 b, with ametallic reflector coating 128 established on third surface 122 a (andoptionally a chrome/chromium material or coating or other opaquereflective coating 140 established at the fourth surface 122 b), such asin a similar manner as discussed above. An electrical connector 130 isconductively connected to the transparent conductive coating 126 atsecond surface 120 b of front substrate 120, and another electricalconnector 132 is conductively connected to the metallic reflectorcoating 128 at third surface 122 a of rear substrate 122, whereby theelectrical connectors are connected to a circuit element 138, such as aprinted circuit board or the like, and electrical power is supplied tothe coatings 126, 128 via connectors 130, 132 to vary the degree ofdimming or darkening of the electro-optic medium 124.

In the illustrated embodiment, electrical connectors 130, 132 compriseelongated electrode clips, with one end portion 130 a, 132 a that clipsover and along a perimeter edge region of the front and rear substrates120, 122, respectively, and another end portion 130 b, 132 b that clipsover and along a respective perimeter edge region of the circuit element138. The clips or connectors 130, 132 may clip to the respective edgesof the substrates as shown in FIG. 8, and may be bent or curved toextend away from the clipped edge region and toward the circuit elementor circuit board 138. The end portions or clips 130 b, 132 b may bereadily moved to generally align with an edge region of the circuitboard and may be clipped thereto (such as by manually pressing the clipsonto the circuit board or substrate), whereby electrical continuity isestablished between circuitry on the circuit element or board 138 (suchas copper and/or solder exposed on the top and/or bottom of the circuitboard that is conductively connected to appropriate circuitry) and therespective conductive coatings 126, 128 on the substrates 120, 122. Insuch an embodiment, the circuit board substrate and the coated glasssubstrates may have similar thicknesses (such as, for example, athickness dimension of about 1.6 mm or thereabouts), so that the clipportions 130 a, 130 b and 132 a, 132 b may comprise continuous clipportions and thus may not include wires or other connectors attached toand extending between clip portions 130 a, 130 b or 132 a, 132 b.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, a mirror reflectiveelement assembly 214 includes a front substrate 220 and a rear substrate222, with an electro-optic medium 224 (such as an electrochromic medium)disposed therebetween (and sealed or contained within the interpanecavity between the substrates 220, 222 via a perimeter seal 225). Thefront substrate 220 has a front or first surface 220 a and a rear orsecond surface 220 b, with a transparent conductive coating 226established on second surface 220 b, while the rear substrate 222 has afront or third surface 222 a and a rear or fourth surface 222 b, with ametallic reflector coating 228 established on third surface 222 a (andoptionally a chrome/chromium material or coating or other opaquereflective coating established at the fourth surface 222 b), such as ina similar manner as discussed above. An electrical connector 230 isconductively connected to the transparent conductive coating 226 atsecond surface 220 b of front substrate 220, and another electricalconnector 232 is conductively connected to the metallic reflectorcoating 228 at third surface 222 a of rear substrate 222, whereby theelectrical connectors are connected to a circuit element 238, such as aprinted circuit board or the like, and electrical power is supplied tothe coatings 226, 228 via connectors 230, 232 to vary the degree ofdimming or darkening of the electro-optic medium 224.

In the illustrated embodiment, and as shown in FIGS. 10 and 12,electrical connector 230 comprises a pair of electrode clips 230 a, 230b and an electrically conductive wire or lead 230 c connected to theclips 230 a, 230 b. The clips 230 a, 230 b may be crimped onto the endsof the wire 230 c or otherwise connected to the wire (such as via solderor the like). As shown in FIG. 10, one of the electrode clips 230 a mayclip over and along a perimeter edge region of the front substrate 220,while the other clip 230 b may clip over and along a perimeter edgeregion of the circuit board 238, with the wire or lead 230 c extendingtherebetween and allowing for flexibility in the connection process.

As shown in FIGS. 10, 11A and 11B, electrical connector 232 comprises aunitary metallic dual electrode clip, with a pair of clip portions 232a, 232 b connected together by an intermediate web or connecting portion232 c. As shown in FIG. 10, one clip portion 232 a may be connected orclipped to a perimeter edge region of the rear substrate 222, while theother clip 232 b may be clipped over and along a perimeter edge regionof the circuit board 238. In such an embodiment, the circuit boardsubstrate and the coated glass substrates may have similar thicknesses(such as, for example, a thickness dimension of about 1.6 mm orthereabouts), so that the clip portions 230 a, 230 b and 232 a, 232 bmay comprise common clip portions or designs or configurations.Optionally, the electrical connector 232 may be provided with differentsized center connecting portions 232 c to accommodate different sizedcells or circuit elements or circuit board mounting configurations orthe like.

Thus, an operator assembling the reflective element assembly may readilyclip the clip portion 230 a of electrical connector 230 to the frontsubstrate 220 and the clip portion 230 b to the circuit board 238 (suchas by manually pressing the clips onto the front substrate and thecircuit board). The clip portion 232 a of electrical connector 232 maybe clipped to the rear substrate 222, and then the circuit element 238(with clip portion 230 b already clipped thereto) may be readily movedtoward and received in the clip portion 232 b so as to establishelectrical continuity between circuitry on the circuit element or board238 (such as copper and/or solder exposed on the top and/or bottom ofthe circuit board that is conductively connected to appropriatecircuitry) and the respective conductive coatings 226, 228 on thesubstrates 220, 222. Optionally, an operator may make the electricalconnections in any other order, while remaining within the spirit andscope of the present invention. Optionally, and desirably, the clip 232a may be pressed onto the rear substrate and the clip and tab outportion at the third surface may be encapsulated.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, a mirror reflectiveelement assembly 314 includes a front substrate 320 and a rear substrate322, with an electro-optic medium 324 (such as an electrochromic medium)disposed therebetween (and sealed or contained within the interpanecavity between the substrates 320, 322 via a perimeter seal 325). Thefront substrate 320 has a front or first surface 320 a and a rear orsecond surface 220 b, with a transparent conductive coating 326established on second surface 320 b, while the rear substrate 322 has afront or third surface 322 a and a rear or fourth surface 322 b, with ametallic reflector coating 328 established on third surface 322 a (andoptionally a chrome/chromium material coating or other opaque reflectivecoating established at the fourth surface 322 b), such as in a similarmanner as discussed above. An electrical connector 330 is conductivelyconnected to the transparent conductive coating 326 at second surface320 b of front substrate 320, and another electrical connector 332 isconductively connected to the metallic reflector coating 328 at thirdsurface 322 a of rear substrate 322, whereby the electrical connectorsare connected to a circuit element (not shown in FIGS. 13 and 14), suchas a printed circuit board or the like, and electrical power is suppliedto the coatings 326, 328 via connectors 330, 332 to vary the degree ofdimming or darkening of the electro-optic medium 324.

In the illustrated embodiment, electrical connectors 330, 332 comprisecommon connectors having the same construction, whereby common connectorparts can be used for connecting to the second surface transparentconductive coating 326 and to the third surface conductive coating 328,thereby reducing part numbers in the manufacturing facility. Electricalconnector 330, 332 comprises an electrode clip 333 a and an attachmentportion 333 b and a connecting portion or crimp portion 333 c. As shownin FIG. 15, attachment portion 333 b is at about a 90 degree anglerelative to clip portion 333 a, so that when attachment portion 333 b isat or on the rear or fourth surface 322 b of rear substrate 322, theclip portion 333 a extends along a perimeter edge portion or edgedimension of the rear substrate 322. The attachment portion 333 b mayinclude apertures 333 d therethrough to enhance the adhesion and/orretention of the attachment portion 333 b at the fourth surface 322 b ofthe rear substrate 322. In the illustrated embodiment, the clip portion333 a may be similar to a standard sized clip (such as for clipping to a1.6 mm thick glass substrate) or the like, and has the attachmentportion 333 b and wire connecting portion 333 c extending therefrom(where the connector may be a stamped metallic part with the clipportion 333 a, attachment portion 333 b and connecting portion 333 cunitarily formed or stamped or where the attachment portion 333 b andconnecting portion 333 c may be attached to or otherwise formed withclip portion 333 a).

A wire or lead 331 (FIG. 16) may be electrically conductively connectedto connecting portion 333 c of electrical connector 330, 332, such as byinserting a lead end or terminal end of the wire into a receptacle.Optionally, and desirably, the wire attachment to the connecting portionmay be a solderless push-in connection that does not require anysoldering or crimping to secure the wire at the connector and toestablish electrical conductivity at the connection. Optionally, theconnection of the wire to the connecting portion may be crimped and/orsoldered as well, such as by crimping the receptacle at the wire end tosecure and conductively connect the wire to the electrical connector.Optionally, and desirably, the connecting portion 333 c may beconfigured to allow for insertion of the wire 331 from either end of theconnecting portion to adapt the connector for different applicationsand/or connection at different sides or regions of the reflectiveelement. The connecting portion 333 c thus may receive the end of thewire to be conductively connected to the end of the wire, or theconnecting portion may be crimped to a wire or otherwise connected to awire (such as via solder or the like) to establish electrical continuityat the connection, and the opposite end of the wire may be connected toa clip or terminal, such as a spade terminal or plug/socket connector ofa wire harness or the like, at a circuit element or circuit board or thelike. Optionally, the connecting portion of the electrical connector maycomprise any suitable connector, such as a spade terminal or the like,and may allow for manual connection or insertion without soldering ofthe wire to the connecting portion, while remaining within the spiritand scope of the present invention.

Thus, and as shown in FIG. 14, electrical connector 330 may electricallyconductively connect to the transparent conductive coating 326 at secondsurface 320 b of front substrate 320. For example, clip portion 333 a ofelectrical connector 330 may be disposed at the overhang region of frontsubstrate 320, but may not be clipped to or may not receive theperimeter edge portion or region 322 c of rear substrate 322. Aconductive material 334 (such as a conductive potting material orconductive epoxy or the like) may be disposed at the overhang region andencapsulate clip portion 333 a and conductively connect clip portion 333a to transparent conductive coating 326. Perimeter seal 325 mayelectrically and conductively isolate clip portion 333 a and conductivematerial 334 from conductive coating 328 at third surface 322 a of rearsubstrate 322, such as in a similar manner as discussed above. Anadhesive or bonding material 335 may be disposed at fourth surface 322 bof rear substrate 322 to adhere attachment portion 333 b and electricalconnector 330 to the rear substrate 322.

Electrical connector 332 may electrically conductively connect to thirdsurface conductive coating 328 by clipping to or receiving an edgeportion 322 d of rear substrate, such as in a similar manner asdescribed above. The rear substrate 322 may include a tab out coating orlayer that is conductively connected to the third surface conductivecoating 328 and that provides for electrical conductive connection tothe third surface conductive coating 328 at a perimeter region of therear substrate that is outboard of the perimeter seal 325, such as in asimilar manner as also described above. As shown in FIG. 14, the clipportion 331 a of electrical connector 332 may be encapsulated (such asby any suitable encapsulant 336) at the third surface of the rearsubstrate to seal the electrical connection at the third surface tab outportion of the reflective element.

During assembly of the reflective element assembly, the electricalconnector 330 may have its clip portion 333 a inserted into theconductive epoxy 334 and its attachment portion 333 b adhered or bondedat the fourth surface 322 b of rear substrate 322 via an adhesive orbonding material 335. The end of a wire or lead may be inserted into orotherwise connected to connecting portion 333 c and the opposite end ofthe wire or lead may be connected to a circuit element or circuit boardor wire harness or the like. The other electrical connector 332 may bereadily pressed onto the edge region of the rear substrate toelectrically conductively connect the clip portion 333 a to the thirdsurface conductive coating 328 at rear substrate 322. Optionally, theattachment portion 333 b of electrical connector 332 may be adhered atthe fourth surface of the rear substrate, but the adhesive may not benecessary due to the positive clip attachment at the perimeter edge ofthe rear substrate. The end of another wire or lead may be inserted intoor otherwise connected to connecting portion 333 c of electricalconnector 332 and the opposite end of the wire or lead may be connectedto a circuit element or circuit board or wire harness or the like.

Thus, the electrical connectors 330, 332 may comprise a common part orstamping and may enhance the volume of the custom stamping and communizethe assembly equipment. The same clip may be used for connecting to bothconductive coatings (on the second surface of the front substrate andthe third surface of the rear substrate).

Optionally, other electrical connectors may be used for electricalconnection to the transparent conductive coating at the second surfaceof the front substrate, while the electrical connector 332 may clip tothe edge of the rear substrate as described above. For example, and withreference to FIGS. 28-32, an electrical connector 330′ may include anelectrically connecting portion 333 a′, an attachment portion 333 b′ anda wire connecting portion or crimp portion 333 c′. Attachment portion333 b′ extends between the electrically connecting portion 333 a′ andthe wire connecting portion 333 c′, so that when electrically connectingportion 333 a′ is at or on or in contact with a conductive medium (suchas a conductive epoxy or the like) established at an overhang region andbetween the connecting portion 333 a′ and the transparent conductivecoating at the rear or second surface of the front substrate, theattachment portion 333 b′ extends along the rear or fourth surface ofthe rear substrate (and is adhered or secured thereto) and the wireconnecting portion 333 c′ is disposed at or along the rear or fourthsurface of the rear substrate. The attachment portion 333 b′ may includeapertures 333 d′ therethrough to enhance the adhesion and/or retentionof the attachment portion 333 b′ (via an adhesive disposed at the fourthsurface in the area at which the connector 330′ is disposed) at thefourth or rear surface of the rear substrate. Optionally, the connectormay be a stamped metallic part with the connecting or contacting portion333 a′, attachment portion 333 b′ and connecting portion 333 c′unitarily formed or stamped or the connecting portions may be otherwiseattached to or otherwise formed with the attachment portion).

A wire or lead (not shown in FIGS. 28-32) may be electricallyconductively connected to connecting portion 333 c′ of electricalconnector 330′, such as by inserting a lead end or terminal end of thewire into a receptacle of wire connecting portion 333 c′. Optionally,and desirably, the wire attachment to the connecting portion may be asolderless push-in connection that does not require any soldering orcrimping to secure the wire at the connector and to establish electricalconductivity at the connection. Optionally, the connection of the wireto the connecting portion may be crimped and/or soldered as well, suchas by crimping the receptacle at the wire end to secure and conductivelyconnect the wire to the electrical connector. Optionally, and desirably,the connecting portion 333 c′ may be configured to allow for insertionof the wire from either end of the connecting portion to adapt theconnector for different applications and/or connection at differentsides or regions of the reflective element. The connecting portion 333c′ thus may receive the end of the wire to be conductively connected tothe end of the wire and may include flexible tabs 333 e′ that allow forinsertion of the wire into the connecting portion 333 c′ and thatcontact the exposed wire to electrically conductively connect the wireto the connector, while limiting or substantially precluding retractionof the wire from the connecting portion, or the connecting portion maybe crimped to a wire or otherwise connected to a wire (such as viasolder or the like) to establish electrical continuity at theconnection. The opposite end of the wire may be connected to a clip orterminal, such as a spade terminal or plug/socket connector of a wireharness or the like, at a circuit element or circuit board or the like.Optionally, the connecting portion of the electrical connector maycomprise any suitable connector, such as a spade terminal or the like,and may allow for manual connection or insertion without soldering ofthe wire to the connecting portion, while remaining within the spiritand scope of the present invention.

Thus, electrical connector 330′ may electrically conductively connect tothe transparent conductive coating at the rear or second surface of thefront substrate (such as the front substrate 320 of reflective elementassembly 314 of FIGS. 13 and 14). For example, connecting portion 333 a′of electrical connector 330′ may be disposed at the overhang region ofthe front substrate, but not clipped to the perimeter edge portion orregion of the rear substrate. A conductive material (such as aconductive potting material or conductive epoxy or the like) may bedisposed at the overhang region and encapsulate connecting portion 333a′ and contact the transparent conductive coating at the rear surface ofthe front substrate to conductively connect the connector 330′ to thetransparent conductive coating at the rear surface of the frontsubstrate. The perimeter seal of the reflective element assembly mayelectrically and conductively isolate the connector 330′ and theconductive material from the conductive coating at the third or frontsurface of the rear substrate, such as in a similar manner as discussedabove. An adhesive or bonding material may be disposed at the fourthsurface of the rear substrate and at the attachment portion 330 b′ toadhesively bond the connector at the rear substrate of the reflectiveelement.

Optionally, the electrical connector for electrically conductivelyconnecting to the conductive coating at the third or front surface ofthe rear substrate may be similar in construction to connector 330′,discussed above. For example, and with reference to FIGS. 33 and 34, anelectrical connector 332′ may include an electrically connecting portionor clip 333 a″, an attachment portion 333 b″ and a wire connectingportion or crimp portion 333 c″. Attachment portion 333 b″ extendsbetween the electrically connecting clip 333 a″ and the wire connectingportion 333 c″, so that when electrically connecting clip 333 a″ isclipped to the perimeter edge region of the rear substrate such thatelectrical conductivity is established between the connector 332′ andthe third surface conductive coating, the attachment portion 333 b″extends along the rear or fourth surface of the rear substrate (and isadhered or secured thereto) and the wire connecting portion 333 c″ isdisposed at or along the rear or fourth surface of the rear substrate.The attachment portion 333 b″ may include apertures 333 d″ therethroughto enhance the adhesion and/or retention of the attachment portion 333b″ (via an adhesive disposed at the fourth surface in the area at whichthe connector 332′ is disposed) at the fourth or rear surface of therear substrate. Optionally, the connector may be a stamped metallic partwith the connecting or contacting portion 333 a″, attachment portion 333b″ and connecting portion 333 c″ unitarily formed or stamped or theconnecting portions may be otherwise attached to or otherwise formedwith the attachment portion). The connector 332′ thus may clip to theperimeter edge region of the rear substrate to establish electricalconductivity between the wire connecting portion and the third surfaceconductive coating on the front or third surface of the rear substrateof the reflective element, but may otherwise be similar in constructionto electrical connector 330′, discussed above, such that a detaileddiscussion of the electrical connectors need not be repeated herein.

Optionally, an electrically conductive connector 330″ (FIG. 38) mayinclude an electrically connecting portion or tab or tabs 343 a, anattachment portion 343 b and a wire connecting portion or crimp portion343 c. Attachment portion 343 b extends between the electricallyconnecting portion 343 a and the wire connecting portion 343 c, so thatwhen electrically connecting portion 343 a is at or on or in contactwith a conductive medium (such as a conductive epoxy or the like)established at an overhang region and at or between the connectingportion 343 a and the transparent conductive coating at the rear orsecond surface of the front substrate, the attachment portion 343 bextends along and/or from the rear or fourth surface of the rearsubstrate (and is adhered or secured thereto) and the wire connectingportion 343 c is disposed at or along (or spaced from) the rear orfourth surface of the rear substrate, such as in a similar manner asdiscussed above with respect to electrically conductive connector 330′.Optionally, the connector 330″ may comprise a stamped metallic part withthe connecting or contacting portion 343 a, attachment portion 343 b andconnecting portion 343 c unitarily formed or stamped or the connectingportions may be otherwise attached to or otherwise formed with theattachment portion).

Also, an electrical connector 332″ (FIGS. 35, 36 and 37) forelectrically conductively connecting to the electrically conductivecoating at the third surface or front surface of the rear substrate ofan electrochromic reflective element may include an electricallyconnecting portion or clip 343 a′, an attachment portion 343 b′ and awire connecting portion or crimp portion 343 c′. Attachment portion 343b′ extends between the electrically connecting clip 343 a′ and the wireconnecting portion 343 c′, so that when electrically connecting clip 343a′ is clipped to the perimeter edge region of the rear substrate suchthat electrical conductivity is established between the connector 332″and the third surface conductive coating, the attachment portion 343 b′extends from the rear or fourth surface of the rear substrate and thewire connecting portion 343 c′ is disposed at or along (or spaced from)the rear or fourth surface of the rear substrate. Optionally, theconnector 332″ may comprise a stamped metallic part with the connectingor contacting portion 343 a′, attachment portion 343 b′ and connectingportion 343 c′ unitarily formed or stamped or the connecting portionsmay be otherwise attached to or otherwise formed with the attachmentportion). The connector 332″ thus may clip to the perimeter edge regionof the rear substrate to establish electrical conductivity between thewire connecting portion and the third surface conductive coating on thefront or third surface of the rear substrate of the reflective element,but may otherwise be similar in construction to electrical connector330″, such that a detailed discussion of the electrical connectors neednot be repeated herein. Thus, instead of using the same part andorienting the part in a different way (such as discussed below withrespect to connector 530), the connectors 330″, 332″ comprise differentparts. The different parts may have similar wire connecting portions andattachment portions, with different substrate connecting portions, andmay be formed with the same stamping tool with some changeable insertsto form the alternate construction of the substrate connecting portions.

In the illustrated embodiments, the wire connecting portions 343 c, 343c′ of electrically conductive connectors 330″, 332″ comprise a wirereceiving element for receiving an end of a wire or lead 347 insertedinto the wire connecting portion. The wire connecting portions 343 c,343 c′ may provide for receiving the ends of wires in one direction (andmay not provide for insertion of the wire into the connecting elementfrom either direction). As shown in FIG. 39, wire connecting portion 343c, 343 c′ comprises a pair of flared tabs 345 a to help guide the wireinto the receptacle or contact area of the connecting portion orelement. Wire connecting portion 343 c, 343 c′ includes a contact springelement, which may extend inward from one or more of the walls of theconnecting portion 343 c, 343 c′. For example, the wire connectingportion 343 c, 343 c′ may include three contact spring elements orfeatures 345 b, 345 c, 345 d that extend inward from respective walls orwall portions 346 a, 346 b of wire connecting portion 343 c, 343 c′. Thespring elements 345 b-d may be cut or stamped or otherwise formed at anangle to help force the wire toward the base of the part and avoid thewire from sliding or popping out or retracting when the two main sidesor walls 346 a, 346 b of the connector may flex open a little duringwire insertion. Optionally, and desirably, the contact edges of the tabs345 b-d may comprise cut edges or sharp edges for optimum wire retentionand bite into the wire that is inserted into the wire connecting portion343 c, 343 c′ of connectors 330″, 332″.

Optionally, and desirably, a conductive epoxy may be disposed along theedge of the substrate and may wrap onto the rear or fourth surface ofthe rear substrate. The connector may be held in place at the conductiveepoxy and the epoxy may be cured to hold the connector at the glasssubstrate. The conductive epoxy thus may provide mechanical anchoringand environmental protection or sealing and electrical connection at theconnection of the connector to the conductive coatings. Thus, apreformed metallic connector may be adhered to the substrate andelectrically connected or conductively connected to the conductivecoating via a conductive epoxy or the like.

Therefore, the present invention provides an electrical connector thatmay clip onto a perimeter edge of the rear substrate and an electricalconnector that may be disposed at an overhang region with electricallyconductive continuity established between the connector and thetransparent conductor coating at the rear surface of the front substratevia a conductive epoxy or the like. The electrical connector maysolderlessly connect to a wire via insertion of the wire into the wirereceiving or connecting portion of the connector (and the connectingportion may retain the wire therein via flexible tabs or the like or theconnecting portion may be crimped or otherwise adapted to retain thewire within the connecting portion). Thus, for example, one electricalconnector may be disposed at and clipped at a perimeter region of therear substrate and may establish electrically conductive continuity to atab-out portion of the metallic conductive reflector coating at thefront surface of the rear substrate, while another electrical connectormay be disposed at the rear of the front substrate (such as at anoverhang region or offset region where a dimension of the frontsubstrate extends beyond a corresponding dimension of the rearsubstrate), whereby electrically conductive continuity may beestablished between the connector and the transparent conductive coatingat the rear surface of the front substrate, such as via a conductiveepoxy or the like. A first wire or lead may thus make an electricalconnection to the first electrical connector and thus to the thirdsurface conductor coating (and may provide, for example, a negative wireor terminal or connection) while another wire or lead may makeelectrical connection to the second electrical connector and thus to thesecond surface transparent conductive coating. For example, the other orsecond wire may comprise a positive terminal or wire or connection andmay be electrically conductively connected to the second surfacetransparent conductive coating via a conductive epoxy that is dispensedor disposed at or over a portion of the electrical connector at theoverhang region (such as at a small step or flange in the stampedelectrical connector that establishes or supports the wire at orrearward of the fourth surface of the rear glass substrate so as to giveclearance for equipment to dispense the conductive epoxy at and at leastpartially over the connecting portion of the electrical connector).

Optionally, an electrical connector may be used to clip to the edge ofthe rear substrate (such as described above) or to establishelectrically conductive continuity to the electrically conductivecoating at the rear surface of the front substrate (such as via aconductive epoxy or the like). For example, and with reference to FIGS.40-42, an electrical connector 530 may include an electricallyconnecting portion or substrate connecting portion or clip portion 533a, an attachment portion 533 b and a wire connecting portion or crimpportion 533 c. Attachment portion 533 b extends between the electricallyconnecting portion 533 a and the wire connecting portion 533 c, so thatwhen electrically connecting portion 533 a is at or on or in contactwith a conductive medium (such as a conductive epoxy or the like)established at an overhang region and between or at the connectingportion 533 a and the transparent conductive coating at the rear orsecond surface of the front substrate (such as shown in FIG. 41), theattachment portion 533 b extends along or from the rear or fourthsurface of the rear substrate and the wire connecting portion 533 c isdisposed at or along the rear or fourth surface of the rear substrate(and may be adhered or secured thereto). Likewise, when the connector530 is used to clip onto the perimeter edge region or portion of a rearsubstrate to establish electrically conductive continuity to anelectrically conductive coating at the front surface of the rearsubstrate, the attachment portion 533 b extends generally along or fromthe rear or fourth surface of the rear substrate, and the wireconnecting portion 533 c may be spaced from the rear or fourth surfaceof the reflective element (such as shown in FIG. 42). Optionally, theconnector may be a stamped metallic part with the connecting orcontacting portion 533 a, attachment portion 533 b and connectingportion 533 c unitarily formed or stamped or the connecting portions maybe otherwise attached to or otherwise formed with the attachmentportion).

A wire or lead (not shown in FIGS. 40-42) may be electricallyconductively connected to connecting portion 533 c of electricalconnector 530, such as by inserting a lead end or terminal end of thewire into a receptacle of wire connecting portion 533 c. Optionally, anddesirably, the wire attachment to the connecting portion may be asolderless push-in connection that does not require any soldering orcrimping to secure the wire at the connector and to establish electricalconductivity at the connection. In the illustrated embodiment, the wireconnecting portion 533 c comprises a primary connecting element 540 ateach end of the connecting portion 533 c (so that a wire may be insertedinto the connecting portion from either direction with respect to thewire connecting portion 533 c of electrical connector 530 and establisha primary electrically conductive connection between the wire and theconnecting element 540) and a secondary connecting element 542 at agenerally central region of the connecting portion 533 c (so that asecondary electrical connection or contact may be made to a wireinserted into the connecting portion 533 c). Optionally, the connectionof the wire to the connecting portion may be crimped and/or soldered aswell, such as by crimping the receptacle at the wire end to secure andconductively connect the wire to the electrical connector.

In the illustrated embodiment, and as shown in FIGS. 40-42, the primaryconnecting element 540 comprises a PALNUT® type of connecting element,with a plurality of flexible tabs 540 a disposed around an aperture 540b. The inner or contacting ends of the flexible tabs 540 a may comprisesheared edges (as formed or established during the stamping or formingof the connector 530, and thus may bite into the wire when the wire isinserted into the connecting portion 533 c. In the illustratedembodiment, the secondary connecting element 542 comprises an internalcantilever spring type connecting element, which provides a generallysmooth or non-sharp surface 542 a (FIGS. 40A, 41 and 42) for contactingthe wire that is inserted into the connecting portion 533 c. Thus, thePALNUT® type connecting element 540 may provide the primary retentionlocking feature and electrical connection between the connector 530 andthe wire, while the internal cantilever spring connecting element 542provides a secondary redundant electrical connection. The electricalconnections on the PALNUT® type connecting element 540 may be made at asheared edge of metal, where the connection to the cantilever springconnecting element 542 may be made at a plated smooth surface. Such aredundant electrically conductive connecting means provides enhancedenvironmental durability to the electrical connector (such as forsituations where the cut edges may start to degrade, the smooth surfacewould not degrade, and thus one of the connecting elements wouldcontinue to provide electrically conductive continuity between theconnector and the wire or lead).

Optionally, and desirably, the wire connecting portion 533 c may beconfigured to allow for insertion of the wire from either end of theconnecting portion to adapt or configure the connector for differentapplications and/or connection at different sides or regions of thereflective element. The wire connecting portion 533 c thus may receivethe end of the wire and be electrically conductively connected to theend of the wire and may include flexible tabs 540 a that allow forinsertion of the wire into the connecting portion 533 c and that contactand may bite into the exposed wire to electrically conductively connectthe wire to the connector, while limiting or substantially precludingretraction of the wire from the connecting portion. Optionally, the wireconnecting portion may be crimped to a wire or otherwise connected to awire (such as via solder or the like) to establish electrical continuityat the connection. The opposite end of the wire may be connected to aclip or terminal, such as a spade terminal or plug/socket connector of awire harness or the like, at a circuit element or circuit board or thelike. Optionally, the connecting portion of the electrical connector maycomprise any suitable connector, such as a spade terminal or the like,and may allow for manual connection or insertion without soldering ofthe wire to the connecting portion, while remaining within the spiritand scope of the present invention.

Thus, electrical connector 530 may electrically conductively connect tothe transparent conductive coating at the rear or second surface of thefront substrate (such as a front substrate 520 of a reflective elementassembly 514). For example, and as shown in FIG. 41, connecting portion533 a of electrical connector 530 may be disposed at the overhang regionof the front substrate, but not clipped to the perimeter edge portion orregion of the rear substrate. A conductive material 536 (such as aconductive potting material or conductive epoxy or the like) may bedisposed at the overhang region and encapsulate at least a portion ofthe connecting portion 533 a and contact the transparent conductivecoating at the rear surface 520 a of the front substrate 520 toconductively connect the connector 530 to the transparent conductivecoating at the rear surface of the front substrate. The perimeter seal525 of the reflective element assembly 514 may electrically andconductively isolate the connector 530 and the conductive material 536from the conductive coating at the third or front surface 522 a of therear substrate 522, such as in a similar manner as discussed above. Anadhesive or bonding material may be disposed at the perimeter edgeregion 522 c of the rear substrate 522 at the overhang region and/or atthe fourth surface 522 b of the rear substrate 522 and at the wireconnecting portion 533 c to adhesively bond the connector 530 at therear substrate 522 of the reflective element 514.

Optionally, the electrical connector for electrically conductivelyconnecting to the conductive coating at the third or front surface ofthe rear substrate may be similar or substantially the same inconstruction to connector 530, discussed above. For example, and withreference to FIG. 42, the electrically connecting portion or clip 533 aof electrical connector 530 may be clipped to the perimeter edge region522 d of the rear substrate 522 such that electrical conductivity isestablished between the connector 530 and the third surface conductivecoating at the third surface or front surface 522 a of rear substrate522. When so clipped, the attachment portion 533 b of connector 530extends from the rear or fourth surface of the rear substrate and thewire connecting portion 533 c is disposed at or along (and optionallyspaced from) the rear or fourth surface 522 a of the rear substrate 522.

The connector 530 thus may clip to the perimeter edge region of the rearsubstrate to establish electrical conductivity between the wireconnecting portion and the third surface conductive coating on the frontor third surface of the rear substrate of the reflective element. Thus,for assembly or attachment or connection to the third surfaceelectrically conductive coating, the electrical connector may be clippedto the rear or second substrate using a clip configuration in a mannersimilar to known electrode clips, while the same part may be used forthe epoxy connection to the second surface electrically conductivecoating by orienting the connector at an angle such that the bottom legsof the clip or connecting portion 533 a are disposed in or sit into theconductive epoxy dispensed in the offset region to make electricallyconductive connection or contact with the second surface electricallyconductive coating. Optionally, and desirably, an adhesive or glue maybe disposed at the fourth surface and/or overhang region to mechanicallyattach the electrical connector at or to the fourth or rear surface ofthe rear glass substrate of the reflective element assembly.

Optionally, and desirably, an electrically conductive trace, such as acured silver-filled conductive epoxy or the like, may be disposed alongthe edge of the substrate and may wrap onto the rear or fourth surfaceof the rear substrate. The connector may be held in place at theconductive epoxy and the epoxy may be cured to hold the connector at theglass substrate. The conductive epoxy thus may provide mechanicalanchoring and environmental protection or sealing and electricalconnection at the connection of the connector to the conductivecoatings. Thus, a preformed metallic connector may be adhered to thesubstrate and electrically connected or conductively connected to theconductive coating via a conductive epoxy or the like.

Optionally, the reflective element assembly may include a heater paddisposed at a rear surface of the reflective element, and may include abackplate disposed at and at least partially over the heater pad. Forexample, and with reference to FIGS. 26-27B, a reflective elementassembly 410 (such as for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of avehicle) includes an electro-optic reflective element 412 (such as anelectrochromic reflective element or cell), a heater pad 414 and abackplate 416.

The reflective element or cell 412 has electrical connectors 412 a, 412b, such as male spade connectors or the like, and such as electricalconnectors of the types described above. The electrical connectors 412a, 412 b are electrically conductively connected (such as via busbars orthe like disposed at the reflective element) to the electricallyconductive coatings on the first and second substrates of the reflectiveelement, such as in any suitable manner and such as described above. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the electrical connectors 412 a, 412 b aredisposed or established at opposite sides of the reflective element andare readily accessible at the rear surface of the reflective element forconnection to electrical connectors 414 a, 414 b of heater pad 414 whenthe heater pad is affixed or adhered to the rear surface of thereflective element 412.

Heater pad 414 may be similar to known heater pads, and may utilizeaspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,882,466 and/or 7,400,435, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Asshown in FIG. 26, heater pad includes electrical connectors 414 a, 414 bfor electrically conductively connecting to connectors 412 a, 412 b ofreflective element 412. In the illustrated embodiment, electricalconnectors 414 a, 414 b (such as female spade connectors or the like)are disposed at the ends of respective wires that extend from oppositesides of the heater pad 414, whereby the electrical connectors 414 a,414 b may be readily connected to the electrical connectors 412 a, 412 bduring the assembly process of the reflective element assembly. Heaterpad 414 also includes a plurality of electrical terminals 414 cprotruding from the heater pad substrate 414 d, with the terminals 414 cbeing associated with the electrical connectors 414 a, 414 b and withthe heating elements (not shown) of the heater pad substrate 414 d.

As shown in FIG. 26, backplate 416 may comprise a generally planarportion 416 a with a molded socket connector 416 b extending rearwardlyfrom the planar portion 416 a (and desirably unitarily formed orintegrally molded, such as via injection molding, with the generallyplanar backplate portion 416 a). When backplate 416 is attached toheater pad 414 and/or reflective element 412, terminals 414 c of heaterpad 414 extend at least partially into molded connector 416 b, wherebythe terminals may be in electrical conductive contact with terminals orends of wires of a vehicle or mirror wiring harness that may plug intothe socket connector 416 b to provide power and control to the heaterpad and reflective element cell when the reflective element assembly isnormally mounted at a rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle.

Optionally, and desirably, the electrical conductive connections areestablished via male spade connectors 412 a, 412 b and female spadeconnectors 414 a, 414 b or vice versa or the like, and thus may obviatethe need for soldering the leads to the reflective element. Optionally,and desirably, the heater pad may include circuitry for driving theelectro-optic cell, thereby reducing or obviating the need for a wiringharness and wire routing to the reflective element. Also, because theconnectors are disposed at opposite sides of the reflective element, theconnections may be readily made during the assembly process in anenhanced and error proof manner that limits or substantially precludesconnecting the wrong connectors together.

Thus, a male connector at an end of a mirror wiring harness may beplugged into the molded connector 416 b of backplate 416 to providepower and/or control to the heater pad and to the electro-opticreflective element cell. The assembly of the reflective element assemblyor sub-assembly is enhanced by the connections between the reflectiveelement and the heater pad and by the establishment of the female orsocket connector at the backplate during assembly of the reflectiveelement assembly or sub-assembly.

Optionally, and desirably, the assembly of components 416, 414, 412 maybe accomplished in a z-axis fashion (see FIG. 26), where the heater pad414 connects to the reflective element 412 and the backplate 416connects to the heater pad 414, preferably with electrical and/ormechanical connections being made at the same or substantially the sametime, and more preferably without any need for an electrical solderconnection (or at least reduced minimal need for a solder connection).For example, the electrical connectors or leads may comprise plug andsocket type mechanical and electrical connection or connect & crimp typemechanical and electrical connection or interference fit mechanical andelectrical connection so that the solderless electrical connections canbe made as the mechanical connection or attachments are made, therebyreducing manual operations and enhancing the assembly process of thereflective element/heater pad/backplate assembly. Optionally, theelectrical connections may be provided by a flying lead or wire, such asat the heater pad for connecting to the terminals or leads at thereflective element or, for example, in an interior mirror application(such as discussed in connection with FIGS. 1-16 above) from aconnection to a transparent electrically conductive coating of anelectrochromic mirror element to a connector on a printed circuit boarddisposed at the rear of the electrochromic mirror element or cell.

Therefore, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention,a low cost mirror assembly is provided that has reduced cost componentsand/or reduced cost coatings and/or reduced cost connection processesand/or reduced cost assembly processes. For example, aspects of thepresent invention may substantially or entirely obviate or substantiallyreduce the need for soldering (that may involve costly human processes)to make the electrical connections. Also, for example, aspects of thepresent invention discussed above allow for the size of the busbar clipsor electrical clips at the reflective element to be reduced (typically,such elongated clips that clip to the edges of the reflective elementsubstrates may be about 6 to 8 inches long or thereabouts), whereby theelectrical clips in accordance with the present invention may have alength that is reduced to about 2 inches or less, preferably about 1inch or less, such as ½ inch or ¼ inch or thereabouts, thus providinglower cost components.

Also, the use of a fourth surface opaque (i.e., substantiallynon-light-transmitting) reflecting or transmission-reducing thin filmcoating, such as a metallic coating (such as a chromium coating or thelike, such as discussed above) allows for a sputter up/sputter downprocess of coating the third and fourth surfaces of the rear substrateof an electrochromic mirror cell in the same unitary vacuum-depositionprocess/chamber (with appropriate masking as described above) andobviates the need to use a potentially costly black or similarlyopacifying tape or coating at the fourth surface (that is typicallyrequired at the rear surface of a reflective element). Typically, suchblack tape is relatively expensive, but the use of such costly blacktape can be obviated by the novel application of an opaque reflecting ortransmission-reducing thin film coating at the fourth surface. Thepresent invention thus provides a rear substrate with a third surfacetransflective mirror reflector, and the process of manufacturing thereflective element may include masking the rear surface at the locationwhere a display and/or photosensor is to be disposed and then coating(preferably simultaneous with the coating of the front surface asdescribed above) the rear surface with a chromium or similar metalliccoating (which is typically much less costly than known conventionalblack opacifying tapes and the like, which need to be carefully disposedat the rear surface to limit or substantially preclude formation ofbubbles or imperfections that may be viewable through the third surfacetransflector) of sufficient thickness to be significantly lightabsorbing, such as a thickness of at least about 300 angstroms, morepreferably at least about 500 angstroms and more preferably at leastabout 750 angstroms. Optionally, the third and fourth surfaces may becoated during the same sputter-up/sputter-down coating process (such asin the same vacuum-deposition chamber and/or process) or the like tofurther reduce the manufacturing costs. The chromium coated or similarmetal coated fourth surface may then be substantially covered/protectedwith a low cost scatter-proofing or shatter-proofing tape, such as witha hot melt polymer film or the like (and such tape need not be anyspecial opaque tape but can be a low cost tape and can be laid down overthe chromium-coated or opaque reflecting or transmission-reducing thinfilm coated rear surface of the substrate in any manner, since anybubbles or imperfections that may be present will not be viewablethrough the opaque reflecting or transmission-reducing thin film coatingat the rear surface of the reflective element).

Optionally, and desirably, the fourth surface opaque ortransmission-reducing thin film metallic coating is formed of anenvironmentally durable metal thin film, such as a sputtered chromium orsimilar environmentally durable metal layer. For example, metal thinfilm mirror reflectors, such as of titanium and chromium and stainlesssteel and the like, such as are used as first surface automotiveexterior mirror reflectors, have the environmental resilience andstability desired herein. To have the desired reduction in lighttransmission (such as transmitting, for example, less than about 1percent of incident light through the opaque or transmission-reducingthin film coating), the transmission-reducing thin film layer or coatingmay have a physical thickness of at least about 300 angstroms, morepreferably at least about 500 angstroms and more preferably at leastabout 700 angstroms, and are formed or established at the rear or fourthsurface of the rear substrate by a vacuum-deposition sputter coatingprocess.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, an electro-optic mirrorelement, such as an electrochromic mirror element, is provided thatcomprises a front substrate and a rear substrate, with an electro-opticmedium (preferably an electrochromic medium and less preferably a liquidcrystal medium) disposed or sandwiched therebetween. The rearmost orfourth surface of the rear substrate comprises a sputtered,environmentally stable metallic reflector or thin film coating or layer,such as chromium metal layer or the like, that has a physical thicknessselected so as to be substantially reflecting (preferably at least about35 percent reflecting, more preferably at least about 45 percentreflecting, and more preferably at least about 55 percent reflecting) oflight that passes through the electro-optic medium (at locations awayfrom the window or aperture established through the metal thin filmcoating), and that has a physical thickness and material property so asto be substantially opaque to visible light incident upon the rearmostor fourth surface of the mirror reflective element (i.e., transmittingless than, for example, about 1 percent of incident light, and morepreferably transmitting less than, for example, about 0.5 percent ofincident light and more preferably transmitting less than, for example,about 0.1 percent of incident light). The opposing surface of the rearsubstrate (i.e., the third surface of the laminate sandwich assembly) iscoated with a transflective reflector as described above. However, wherea display is desired to be seen by the driver of the equipped vehiclethrough the reflective element or where a photosensor is desired to viewthrough the reflective element, an aperture or hole or window(preferably with a tapered or non-sharp gradient in the opaquereflective thin film coating around and circumscribing the window) isestablished at and through the fourth surface coating at the rearmostsurface of the reflective element.

Optionally, the present invention may also provide for a reduced costaperture or window established at and through the opaque reflecting ortransmission-reducing thin film coating or chromium or metallic coatingat the rear surface of the substrate, such as for a video display or aninformation display or a sensor or the like. As discussed above, theaperture or window may be established or provided in a manner thatfurther reduces the assembly costs of the reflective element assembly.For example, the aperture or window may have fuzzy or non-sharp edges sothat it is not readily viewable and discernible to a person viewingthrough the reflective element, and thus may not require the locationprecision typically required for conventional windows, thereby furtherreducing the manufacturing costs associated with the reflective elementassembly of the present invention. Thus, the present invention providesmultiple cost-reducing aspects that reduce the content costs and themanufacturing and assembly costs associated with the reflective elementassembly and mirror assembly.

The interior mirror assembly or assemblies discussed herein may comprisean electro-optic or electrochromic mirror assembly and may include anelectro-optic or electrochromic reflective element. The electrochromicmirror element of the electrochromic mirror assembly may utilize theprinciples disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,310,178;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 6,690,268; 5,140,455;5,151,816; 6,178,034; 6,154,306; 6,002,544; 5,567,360; 5,525,264;5,610,756; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 5,076,673; 5,073,012; 5,117,346;5,724,187; 5,668,663; 5,910,854; 5,142,407 and/or 4,712,879, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, and/or asdisclosed in the following publications: N. R. Lynam, “ElectrochromicAutomotive Day/Night Mirrors”, SAE Technical Paper Series 870636 (1987);N. R. Lynam, “Smart Windows for Automobiles”, SAE Technical Paper Series900419 (1990); N. R. Lynam and A. Agrawal, “Automotive Applications ofChromogenic Materials”, Large Area Chromogenics: Materials and Devicesfor Transmittance Control, C. M. Lampert and C. G. Granquist, EDS,Optical Engineering Press, Wash. (1990), which are all herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entireties. Optionally, theelectrochromic circuitry and/or a glare sensor (such as a rearwardfacing glare sensor that receives light from rearward of the mirrorassembly and vehicle through a port or opening along the casing and/orbezel portion and/or reflective element of the mirror assembly) andcircuitry and/or an ambient light sensor and circuitry may be providedon one or more circuit boards of the mirror assembly.

Optionally, the reflective element may include a metallic perimeter bandaround the perimeter of the reflective element, such as by utilizingaspects of the reflective elements described in U.S. Pat. Nos.7,274,501; 7,184,190 and/or 7,255,451, PCT Application No.PCT/US2006/018567, filed May 15, 2006; PCT Application No.PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 19, 2003; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003, and/or U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/912,576, filed Oct. 25, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,626,749; and/orSer. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005, and published Mar. 23, 2006 asU.S. Publication No. US 2006/0061008, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the perimeter bandmay comprise a chrome/chromium coating or metallic coating and maycomprise a chrome/chromium or metallic coating that has a reducedreflectance, such as by using an oxidized chrome coating or chromiumoxide coating or “black chrome” coating or the like (such as byutilizing aspects of the mirror assemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos.7,184,190 and/or 7,255,451, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties). Optionally, the mirror reflectiveelement may comprise a frameless reflective element (such as a framelessexterior mirror assembly or a frameless interior mirror assembly), suchas by utilizing aspects of the reflective elements described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 7,360,932; 7,255,451; 7,274,501 and/or 7,184,190, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2006/018567, filed May 15, 2006; PCT ApplicationNo. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 and published on Dec. 2, 2004as International Publication No. WO 2004/10377282; and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/912,576, filed Oct. 25, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No.7,626,749; Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005, and published Mar.23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US 2006/0061008; and/or Ser. No.10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005, and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S.Publication No. US 2006/0050018; and/or U.S. provisional applications,Ser. No. 61/187,112, filed Jun. 15, 2009; Ser. No. 61/172,022, filedApr. 23, 2009; Ser. No. 61/249,300, filed Oct. 7, 2009; and/or Ser. No.61/261,839, filed Nov. 17, 2009, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

The mounting assembly of the mirror assembly attached to an interiorportion of the vehicle, such as to an inner surface of a vehiclewindshield (such as to a mounting button or attachment element adheredto the interior surface of the vehicle windshield). The mountingassembly may be mounted to a mounting button or attachment element atthe vehicle windshield via a breakaway mounting construction, such as byutilizing aspects of the mounting constructions described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,820,097 and/or 5,100,095, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. The mounting assembly may utilize aspectsof the mounting assemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,318,870;6,593,565; 6,690,268; 6,540,193; 4,936,533; 5,820,097; 5,100,095;7,249,860; 6,877,709; 6,329,925; 7,289,037; 7,249,860 and/or 6,483,438,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005,and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US 2006/0061008,and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/232,201, filed Aug. 7,2009; Ser. No. 61/162,420, filed Mar. 23, 2009; and/or Ser. No.61/255,192, filed Oct. 27, 2009, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties).

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include one or more displays, suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240 and/or 6,329,925,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties,and/or display-on-demand transflective type displays, such as the typesdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,338,177; 7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381;7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or 6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/520,193, filed Sep. 13, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No.7,581,859; Ser. No. 12/091,525, filed Apr. 25, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No.7,855,755; Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005, and published Mar.23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US 2006/0061008; Ser. No. 10/538,724,filed Jun. 13, 2005, and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US 2006/0050018; and/or Ser. No. 11/912,576, filed Oct. 25, 2007, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,626,749, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, so that the displays are viewable throughthe reflective element, while the display area still functions tosubstantially reflect light, in order to provide a generally uniformprismatic reflective element even in the areas that have displayelements positioned behind the reflective element. The thicknesses andmaterials of the coatings on the substrates, such as on the thirdsurface of the reflective element assembly, may be selected to provide adesired color or tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a bluecolored reflector, such as is known in the art and such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036 and/or 7,274,501, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, a display and any associated user inputs may be associatedwith various accessories or systems, such as, for example, a tirepressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or a garagedoor opening system or a telematics system or any other accessory orsystem of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessorymodule or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or consoleof the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888;6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742 and 6,124,886, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005, andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US 2006/0050018, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The display may comprise a video display and may utilize aspects of thevideo display devices or modules described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268;7,184,190; 7,274,501; 7,370,983 and/or 7,446,650, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/091,525, filed Apr. 25, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No.7,855,755; and/or Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005, andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US 2006/0050018, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Thevideo display may be operable to display images captured by one or moreimaging sensors or cameras at the vehicle. The imaging device andcontrol and image processor and any associated illumination source, ifapplicable, may comprise any suitable components, and may utilizeaspects of the cameras and vision systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935; 5,796,094; 6,396,397;6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,123,168; 7,004,606; 6,946,978;7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176; 6,313,454 and 6,824,281, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The cameraor camera module may comprise any suitable camera or imaging sensor, andmay utilize aspects of the cameras or sensors described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/091,359, filed Apr. 24, 2008, and published Oct.1, 2009 as U.S. Publication No. US 2009/0244361; and/or Ser. No.10/534,632, filed May 11, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,965,336; and/or U.S.Pat. No. 7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. The imaging array sensor may comprise any suitablesensor, and may utilize various imaging sensors or imaging array sensorsor cameras or the like, such as a CMOS imaging array sensor, a CCDsensor or other sensors or the like, such as the types described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,715,093; 5,877,897;6,922,292; 6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719; 6,201,642; 6,498,620;5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 6,806,452;6,396,397; 6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149; 7,038,577 and 7,004,606;and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/315,675, filed Dec. 22, 2005,now U.S. Pat. No. 7,720,580, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/534,632, filed May 11, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,965,336; and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2008/076022, filed Sep. 11, 2008, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2008/078700, filed Oct. 3, 2008, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may beimplemented and operated in connection with various vehicularvision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles ofsuch other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system,such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606 and 7,339,149, and U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/105,757, filed Apr. 14, 2005, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,526,103, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, a rain sensor, such as the typesdisclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454;6,320,176 and/or 7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, a vehicle vision system, such as aforwardly, sidewardly or rearwardly directed vehicle vision systemutilizing principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935;5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397;6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610;6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563 and 6,946,978,and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/643,602, filed Aug. 19,2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,859,565, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitching aid or towcheck system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,974,which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, areverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lane change assistancesystem or lane departure warning system or for a blind spot or objectdetection system, such as imaging or detection systems of the typesdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,038,577; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/239,980, filed Sep. 30, 2005,now U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,496; and/or Ser. No. 11/315,675, filed Dec. 22,2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,720,580, and/or U.S. provisional applications,Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/614,644, filedSep. 30, 2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14, 2004; Ser. No.60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, a video device for internal cabinsurveillance and/or video telephone function, such as disclosed in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268 and/or 7,370,983, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, atraffic sign recognition system, a system for determining a distance toa leading or trailing vehicle or object, such as a system utilizing theprinciples disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, and/orthe like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for theimaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features,such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technologyand aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,255,451 and/or7,480,149; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filedSep. 14, 2005, and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US2006/0061008, and/or Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009 andpublished Apr. 22, 2010 as U.S. Publication No. US-2010-0097469, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include user inputs that maycomprise buttons or switches for controlling or activating/deactivatingone or more electrical accessories or devices of or associated with themirror assembly. The mirror assembly may comprise any type of switchesor buttons, such as touch or proximity sensing switches, such as touchor proximity switches of the types described above, or the inputs maycomprise other types of buttons or switches, such as those described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 6,001,486; 6,310,611; 6,320,282; 6,627,918; 6,690,268;7,224,324; 7,249,860; 7,253,723; 7,255,451; 7,360,932 and/or 7,446,924,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005,and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US 2006/0050018,and/or Ser. No. 12/576,550, filed Oct. 12, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No.8,465,161, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties, or such as fabric-made position detectors, such asthose described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,504,531; 6,501,465; 6,492,980;6,452,479; 6,437,258 and 6,369,804, which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the user inputs or buttons may comprise user inputs for agarage door opening system, such as a vehicle based garage door openingsystem of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,396,408; 6,362,771;7,023,322 and 5,798,688, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. The user inputs may also or otherwisefunction to activate and deactivate a display or function or accessory,and/or may activate/deactivate and/or commence a calibration of acompass system of the mirror assembly and/or vehicle. The compass systemmay include compass sensors and circuitry within the mirror assembly orwithin a compass pod or module at or near or associated with the mirrorassembly. Optionally, the user inputs may also or otherwise compriseuser inputs for a telematics system of the vehicle, such as, forexample, an ONSTAR® system as found in General Motors vehicles and/orsuch as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154;5,255,442; 5,632,092; 5,798,688; 5,971,552; 5,924,212; 6,243,003;6,278,377; 6,420,975; 6,477,464; 6,946,978; 7,308,341; 7,167,796;7,004,593 and/or 6,678,614, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005, and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S.Publication No. US 2006/0050018, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/529,715, filed Mar. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,657,052, which areall hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include one or more otheraccessories at or within the mirror casing or otherwise associated withor near the mirror assembly, such as one or more electrical orelectronic devices or accessories, such as antennas, including globalpositioning system (GPS) or cellular phone antennas, such as disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,552, a communication module, such as disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,798,688, a blind spot detection system, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, transmittersand/or receivers, such as a garage door opener or the like, a digitalnetwork, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,575, a high/lowheadlamp controller, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094and/or 5,715,093 and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No.61/785,565, filed May 15, 2009, a memory mirror system, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,176, a hands-free phone attachment, avideo device for internal cabin surveillance and/or video telephonefunction, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962 and/or5,877,897, a remote keyless entry receiver, lights, such as map readinglights or one or more other lights or illumination sources, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,938,321; 5,813,745; 5,820,245;5,673,994; 5,649,756; 5,178,448; 5,671,996; 4,646,210; 4,733,336;4,807,096; 6,042,253; 5,669,698; 7,195,381; 6,971,775 and/or 7,249,860,microphones, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,243,003; 6,278,377and/or 6,420,975; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/529,715,filed Mar. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,657,052, speakers, antennas,including global positioning system (GPS) or cellular phone antennas,such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,552, a communication module,such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,688, a voice recorder, a blindspot detection system, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,929,786;5,786,772; 7,492,281; 7,038,577 and 6,882,287; and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/315,675, filed Dec. 22, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,720,580; and/or Ser. No. 12/446,507, filed Apr. 21, 2009, now U.S.Pat. No. 8,058,977, transmitters and/or receivers, such as for a garagedoor opener or a vehicle door unlocking system or the like (such as aremote keyless entry system), a digital network, such as described inU.S. Pat. No. 5,798,575, a high/low headlamp controller, such as acamera-based headlamp control, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,796,094 and/or 5,715,093, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No.61/785,565, filed May 15, 2009, a memory mirror system, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,176, a hands-free phone attachment, animaging system or components or circuitry or display thereof, such as animaging and/or display system of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos.7,400,435; 6,690,268 and 6,847,487, and/or U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/239,980, filed Sep. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,496; Ser.No. 11/105,757, filed Apr. 14, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,526,103; Ser.No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009 and published Apr. 22, 2010 as U.S.Publication No. US-2010-0097469; and/or Ser. No. 12/508,840, filed Jul.24, 2009 and published Jan. 28, 2010 as U.S. Pub. No. US 2010/0020170,an alert system, such as an alert system of the types described in PCTApplication No. PCT/US2010/25545, filed Feb. 26, 2010, a video devicefor internal cabin surveillance (such as for sleep detection or driverdrowsiness detection or the like) and/or video telephone function, suchas disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962 and/or 5,877,897, a remotekeyless entry receiver, a seat occupancy detector, a remote startercontrol, a yaw sensor, a clock, a carbon monoxide detector, statusdisplays, such as displays that display a status of a door of thevehicle, a transmission selection (4wd/2wd or traction control (TCS) orthe like), an antilock braking system, a road condition (that may warnthe driver of icy road conditions) and/or the like, a trip computer, atire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) receiver (such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 6,124,647; 6,294,989; 6,445,287; 6,472,979; 6,731,205and/or 7,423,522, and/or U.S. provisional application, Ser. No.60/611,796, filed Sep. 21, 2004), and/or an ONSTAR® system, a compass,such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,924,212; 4,862,594; 4,937,945;5,131,154; 5,255,442 and/or 5,632,092, a control system, such as acontrol system of the types described in U.S. provisional applicationSer. No. 61/186,573, filed Jun. 12, 2009, and/or any other accessory orcircuitry or the like (with the disclosures of the above-referencedpatents and patent applications and provisional applications and PCTapplications being hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties).

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

1. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for a vehicular rearviewmirror assembly, said electrochromic mirror reflective elementcomprising: a transparent front glass substrate having first and secondsurfaces; a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed at saidsecond surface of said front glass substrate; a transparent rear glasssubstrate having third and fourth surfaces; a third surface reflectordisposed at said third surface of said rear glass substrate; a fourthsurface reflector coated at said fourth surface of said rear glasssubstrate; an electrochromic medium disposed between said front glasssubstrate and said rear glass substrate and contacting said transparentelectrically conductive coating at said second surface and said thirdsurface reflector at said third surface of said rear glass substrate;wherein said third surface reflector comprises a transflective mirrorreflector that is partially transmissive to visible light incidentthereat and that is partially reflective to visible light incidentthereat; and wherein light incident at said first surface of said frontglass substrate passes (i) through said front glass substrate, (ii)through said transparent electrically conductive coating at said secondsurface of said front glass substrate and (iii) through saidelectrochromic medium, whereby light passing through said electrochromicmedium is partially reflected at said third surface reflector and ispartially transmitted through said third surface reflector, and whereinlight passing through said electrochromic medium that is partiallytransmitted through said third surface reflector passes through saidrear glass substrate and is at least partially reflected off said fourthsurface reflector at said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate toprovide enhanced reflectivity of said electrochromic mirror reflectiveelement.
 2. The electrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 1,wherein said fourth surface reflector transmits less than 1 percent ofvisible light incident thereat.
 3. The electrochromic mirror reflectiveelement of claim 1, wherein said fourth surface reflector reflects atleast 40 percent of visible light incident thereat.
 4. Theelectrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 1, comprising a devicedisposed behind said rear glass substrate at a light-transmittingaperture established through said fourth surface reflector at saidfourth surface of said rear glass substrate, wherein said devicecomprises a device selected from the group consisting of (i) a displaydevice operable to display images viewable through said front glasssubstrate, said electrochromic medium, said third surface reflector andsaid rear glass substrate at the aperture through said fourth surfacereflector, (ii) an indicator operable to emit light that passes throughthe aperture through said fourth surface reflector and through said rearglass substrate, said third surface reflector, said electrochromicmedium and said front glass substrate, and (iii) a light sensor operableto sense light that passes through said front glass substrate, saidelectrochromic medium, said third surface reflector and said rear glasssubstrate and through the aperture through said fourth surfacereflector.
 5. The electrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 4,wherein a circumscribing edge of said fourth surface reflector thatcircumscribes the aperture through said fourth surface reflectorcomprises a non-sharp circumscribing edge.
 6. The electrochromic mirrorreflective element of claim 5, wherein a physical thickness of saidfourth surface reflector is tapered around the aperture to establish thenon-sharp circumscribing edge.
 7. The electrochromic mirror reflectiveelement of claim 6, wherein said fourth surface reflector is coated atsaid fourth surface of said rear glass substrate via a sputter coatingprocess, and wherein the aperture is established by masking a portion ofsaid rear glass substrate during the sputter coating process, andwherein the physical thickness of said fourth surface reflector istapered by spacing a masking element from said fourth surface of saidrear glass substrate during the sputter coating process.
 8. Theelectrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 5, wherein acircumscribing region of said fourth surface reflector that immediatelysurrounds the aperture is non-uniform in reflectance as compared to therest of said fourth surface reflector.
 9. The electrochromic mirrorreflective element of claim 5, wherein said fourth surface reflectorcoated at said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate around theaperture locally varies in physical thickness, with a minimum physicalthickness of said fourth surface reflector being closest to the apertureand with the physical thickness of said fourth surface reflectorincreasing to a maximum physical thickness of said fourth surfacereflector at a distance from the aperture.
 10. The electrochromic mirrorreflective element of claim 1, comprising a first electrical connectordisposed at said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate forelectrically conductively connecting to said transparent electricallyconductive coating at said first surface of said front glass substrateof said electrochromic mirror reflective element, and comprising asecond electrical connector disposed at said fourth surface of said rearglass substrate for electrically conductively connecting to said thirdsurface reflector at said third surface of said rear glass substrate.11. The electrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 10, whereinsaid second electrical connector electrically conductively connects toan electrically conductive coating of said third surface reflector atsaid third surface of said rear glass substrate.
 12. The electrochromicmirror reflective element of claim 10, wherein said first electricalconnector comprises a stamped metallic connector having a wire receivingportion and a substrate attaching portion and said second electricalconnector comprises a stamped metallic connector having a wire receivingportion and a substrate attaching portion.
 13. The electrochromic mirrorreflective element of claim 10, wherein a perimeter region of said frontglass substrate is offset from a perimeter region of said rear glasssubstrate, and wherein said second electrical connector comprises a clipelement that clips onto a perimeter edge region of said rear glasssubstrate.
 14. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for avehicular rearview mirror assembly, said electrochromic mirrorreflective element comprising: a transparent front glass substratehaving first and second surfaces; a transparent electrically conductivecoating disposed at said second surface of said front glass substrate; atransparent rear glass substrate having third and fourth surfaces; athird surface reflector disposed at said third surface of said rearglass substrate; a fourth surface reflector coated at said fourthsurface of said rear glass substrate; wherein said fourth surfacereflector reflects at least 40 percent of visible light incidentthereat; wherein said fourth surface reflector transmits less than 1percent of visible light incident thereat; an electrochromic mediumdisposed between said front glass substrate and said rear glasssubstrate and contacting said transparent electrically conductivecoating at said second surface and said third surface reflector at saidthird surface of said rear glass substrate; wherein said third surfacereflector comprises a transflective mirror reflector that is partiallytransmissive to visible light incident thereat and that is partiallyreflective to visible light incident thereat; and wherein light incidentat said first surface of said front glass substrate passes (i) throughsaid front glass substrate, (ii) through said transparent electricallyconductive coating at said second surface of said front glass substrateand (iii) through said electrochromic medium, whereby light passingthrough said electrochromic medium is partially reflected at said thirdsurface reflector and is partially transmitted through said thirdsurface reflector, and wherein light passing through said electrochromicmedium that is partially transmitted through said third surfacereflector passes through said rear glass substrate and is at leastpartially reflected off said fourth surface reflector at said fourthsurface of said rear glass substrate to provide enhanced reflectivity ofsaid electrochromic mirror reflective element.
 15. The electrochromicmirror reflective element of claim 14, comprising a device disposedbehind said rear glass substrate at a light-transmitting apertureestablished through said fourth surface reflector at said fourth surfaceof said rear glass substrate, wherein said device comprises a deviceselected from the group consisting of (i) a display device operable todisplay images viewable through said front glass substrate, saidelectrochromic medium, said third surface reflector and said rear glasssubstrate at the aperture through said fourth surface reflector, (ii) anindicator operable to emit light that passes through the aperturethrough said fourth surface reflector and through said rear glasssubstrate, said third surface reflector, said electrochromic medium andsaid front glass substrate, and (iii) a light sensor operable to senselight that passes through said front glass substrate, saidelectrochromic medium, said third surface reflector and said rear glasssubstrate and through the aperture through said fourth surfacereflector.
 16. The electrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 15,wherein a circumscribing region of said fourth surface reflector thatimmediately surrounds the aperture is non-uniform in reflectance ascompared to the rest of said fourth surface reflector.
 17. Theelectrochromic mirror reflective element of claim 14, comprising a firstelectrical connector disposed at said fourth surface of said rear glasssubstrate for electrically conductively connecting to said transparentelectrically conductive coating at said first surface of said frontglass substrate of said electrochromic mirror reflective element, andcomprising a second electrical connector disposed at said fourth surfaceof said rear glass substrate for electrically conductively connecting tosaid third surface reflector at said third surface of said rear glasssubstrate.
 18. An electrochromic mirror reflective element for avehicular rearview mirror assembly, said electrochromic mirrorreflective element comprising: a transparent front glass substratehaving first and second surfaces; a transparent electrically conductivecoating disposed at said second surface of said front glass substrate; atransparent rear glass substrate having third and fourth surfaces; athird surface reflector disposed at said third surface of said rearglass substrate; a fourth surface reflector coated at said fourthsurface of said rear glass substrate; wherein said fourth surfacereflector reflects at least 40 percent of visible light incidentthereat; an electrochromic medium disposed between said front glasssubstrate and said rear glass substrate and contacting said transparentelectrically conductive coating at said second surface and said thirdsurface reflector at said third surface of said rear glass substrate;wherein said third surface reflector comprises a transflective mirrorreflector that is partially transmissive to visible light incidentthereat and that is partially reflective to visible light incidentthereat; wherein light incident at said first surface of said frontglass substrate passes (i) through said front glass substrate, (ii)through said transparent electrically conductive coating at said secondsurface of said front glass substrate and (iii) through saidelectrochromic medium, whereby light passing through said electrochromicmedium is partially reflected at said third surface reflector and ispartially transmitted through said third surface reflector, and whereinlight passing through said electrochromic medium that is partiallytransmitted through said third surface reflector passes through saidrear glass substrate and is at least partially reflected off said fourthsurface reflector at said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate toprovide enhanced reflectivity of said electrochromic mirror reflectiveelement; and a device disposed behind said rear glass substrate at alight-transmitting aperture established through said fourth surfacereflector at said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate, whereinone selected from the group consisting of (i) said device emits lightthat passes through the aperture through said fourth surface reflectorand through said rear glass substrate, said third surface reflector,said electrochromic medium and said front glass substrate, and (iii)said device receives light that passes through said front glasssubstrate, said electrochromic medium, said third surface reflector andsaid rear glass substrate and through the aperture through said fourthsurface reflector.
 19. The electrochromic mirror reflective element ofclaim 18, wherein a circumscribing edge of said fourth surface reflectorthat circumscribes the aperture through said fourth surface reflectorcomprises a non-sharp circumscribing edge.
 20. The electrochromic mirrorreflective element of claim 18, comprising a first electrical connectordisposed at said fourth surface of said rear glass substrate forelectrically conductively connecting to said transparent electricallyconductive coating at said first surface of said front glass substrateof said electrochromic mirror reflective element, and comprising asecond electrical connector disposed at said fourth surface of said rearglass substrate for electrically conductively connecting to said thirdsurface reflector at said third surface of said rear glass substrate.